(Warning spoilers!)
Rereleased in theaters on 35mm film during the week of Jan. 16 was Guillermo del Toro’s award-winning movie Frankenstein. Alissa Wilkinson from The New York Times proclaimed the 2025 film to be “lush, melodramatic, sweepingly romantic and achingly emotional” — but is it worth two and a half hours of your time? I think it absolutely is.
Frankenstein had so much emotion poured into it, along with beautiful sets, characters and costumes.
One of my favorite facets of the movie was the fashion choices. The colors, designs and detailing played such a large role throughout the movie. One aspect of Frankenstein’s costume design I personally enjoyed was Victor’s red gloves throughout the story. Although such a small detail, it smartly symbolizes the blood on the scientist’s hands from creating the Creature: cursing it with eternal life, forcing it to live in a world where it can only experience pain and creating a cycle of suffering. In addition, I also feel the red gloves connect to the blood on Victor’s hands throughout his whole life.
Blood plays a thematic role, too, in the traumatizing scene that shows his mother’s death. She experiences birth complications during a card game with him, and after she is rushed to be taken care of, Victor finds himself covered in blood. This is the first time in the film he experiences an interaction with blood — and I feel it marks the beginning of his growing madness due to the loss of empathy that comes with the death of his mother. This detail alone captures the thoughtfulness in artistic choices made through the film.
Another beautiful detail was Victor’s lab; more specifically, the large stone carving of the mythological figure Medusa in the stone wall. Not only was it a beautiful sculpture with amazing design, but it also connected the creation of the Creature and the pain both it and Medusa — a woman who turned people who looked at her to stone — faced because of society.
Overall I thought this movie was so beautiful to watch. The story of Frankenstein in general is very important and relevant during the present. Our dark and violent world can be at a loss for empathy and understanding, just like Victor and others who used violence against the unknowing and innocent Creature in the story.
We all need to learn from films and literature that preach this and collectively become better people. If you enjoy analyzing design choices, deeply emotional storytelling or even just beautiful sets and costumes, this movie is certainly for you. I would recommend Frankenstein to absolutely anyone. It will completely change your view on life, relationships and the art of forgiveness. Happy watching!
