Mary Shelley’s legendary 1818 novel Frankenstein has inspired countless adaptations over the past century, but the newly released Frankenstein (2025)—directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Robert Eggers—is already being hailed as one of the most faithful, daring, and psychologically chilling retellings to date.
Starring Cillian Murphy as Victor Frankenstein and introducing Paul Mescal in a bold, wordless performance as The Creature, the film blends horror, tragedy, and science fiction in a bleakly beautiful reimagining of Shelley’s original vision. It doesn’t just bring Frankenstein’s monster back to life — it resurrects the soul of Gothic literature itself.
Unlike the many versions that leaned heavily into sci-fi or horror spectacle, Frankenstein (2025) stays fiercely loyal to the tone and themes of Shelley’s original novel. Set in 19th-century Europe and shot on location in Iceland, Switzerland, and rural Germany, the film follows Victor Frankenstein — a brilliant but arrogant scientist — as he defies natural law by reanimating life through unnatural means.
But rather than turning into a tale of external terror, the film quickly spirals into an internal descent. Frankenstein is not a heroic pioneer but a deeply flawed, guilt-ridden man tormented by what he’s created. Murphy’s performance captures a man driven by obsession, undone by regret, and ultimately consumed by his own ambition.
Paul Mescal’s portrayal of the Creature is one for the ages. Towering, scarred, and silent for most of the film, his performance is layered with vulnerability and restrained fury. Eggers presents the monster not as a villain but as a lonely, intelligent being abandoned at birth — misunderstood by the world and desperate for meaning.
The pivotal scenes between Victor and the Creature, particularly a snowbound confrontation near Mont Blanc, are emotionally shattering and visually breathtaking. Dialogue lifted directly from Shelley’s prose gives the film a poetic rhythm that modern audiences might find refreshingly profound.
Shot in stark, moody tones by cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, the film is a feast of cold mountains, flickering candlelight, and gothic architecture. Every frame looks like a haunted painting, with minimal CGI and heavy reliance on practical effects and natural lighting.
The haunting score by Hildur Guðnadóttir (known for Joker and Chernobyl) weaves dread and melancholy into every scene, amplifying the film’s meditative pace and tragic weight.
Though not a traditional horror film, Frankenstein (2025) has stunned critics and festival audiences with its literary depth and emotional gravity. Early reviews are calling it “a masterpiece of modern Gothic cinema” and “a psychological horror opera.”
Already rumored for multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor and Best Director, the film seems poised to become the definitive screen version of Shelley’s masterpiece for a new generation.
As Victor Frankenstein famously warned: “You are my creator, but I am your master.” In Frankenstein (2025), those words echo louder than ever.
