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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The first reviews from the 2025 Venice premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein were positive but qualified: critics singled out its visual ambition, emotional reach and Jacob Elordi’s Creature, while some found the film sentimental, campy or uneven. The responses describe a gothic drama that blends horror with tragedy, romance and philosophical reflection—not simply a straight horror film.
What did the first reviews say?
Venice reviews praised the film’s visual scale and feeling, but did not treat those strengths as proof that every choice works. Rotten Tomatoes’ roundup of the Venice responses highlights the style, emotional depth and Elordi’s performance while acknowledging flaws. In Vogue’s review, the film is visually dazzling and heartfelt, though at times campy, sentimental and overly reliant on CGI.
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The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney, quoted in the Rotten Tomatoes roundup, wrote: “There are jaw-dropping visuals throughout… One of del Toro’s finest, this is epic-scale storytelling of uncommon beauty, feeling and artistry.” That is a strong response, but it is one critic’s assessment—not a consensus score. The available first-review coverage supports a pattern of admiration with reservations, not unanimity.
Why Jacob Elordi stands out as the Creature
Elordi plays the Creature opposite Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein. The review roundup and Vogue both identify Elordi’s performance as a major strength, with Vogue describing the role as a showcase for his expressive range. Del Toro also said Elordi’s eyes helped communicate the Creature’s innocence.
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#1 Best Overall
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Elordi described the role’s personal connection in comments reported by the Associated Press at Venice: “It’s a vessel that I could put every part of myself into,” he said. “In so many ways the creature that is on screen in that movie is the purest form of myself, he’s more me than I am.” That helps explain the performance’s central place in the film’s early reception; it does not mean every reviewer ranked him above the rest of the cast.
Is del Toro’s Frankenstein scary, or more of a drama?
The first reviews point to a mixture of horror, tragedy, romance and philosophical reflection. Rooney, quoted by Rotten Tomatoes, characterized it as more tragedy, romance and philosophical reflection than straight-up horror. Readers expecting an unbroken run of scares may find its emotional and reflective ambitions equally important.
The adaptation is del Toro’s personal take on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, as identified by the Venice festival listing and Netflix’s film article. Netflix describes Victor as an ego-driven scientist whose experiment raises questions about what it means to be human, a creator, a creature, a father and a son. Del Toro has framed Victor and the Creature as counterparts: “Every monster has a counterpart. You design the monster and his counterpart to have a dialogue visually. In this instance, I think that Victor and the monster are two sides of a mirror.” That is the director’s interpretive lens, not the only possible reading of Shelley’s story.
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What gives the film its visual identity?
Del Toro has described a handmade approach in which visual effects fill gaps that practical construction cannot. In a Netflix Tudum production interview, he said: “I think VFX should only exist where set construction, prop building, wardrobe creation cannot go.” The festival listing credits Tamara Deverell with production design, Kate Hawley with costumes, Dan Laustsen with cinematography and Dennis Berardi with visual effects.
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When did it premiere, and where can you watch it?
Frankenstein premiered at Venice on August 30, 2025. The Associated Press reported that the film received a 13-minute standing ovation there; that measures the festival audience’s response, not critical consensus or general viewer opinion. AP also reported a limited theatrical release planned for October 17, 2025. Netflix’s November 7, 2025 article said the film was then streaming on Netflix. Check your local Netflix catalog for current availability, since titles can vary by territory and change over time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which cut and runtime should viewers know about?
The runtime depends on the version and listing. The Venice festival listing gives 149 minutes. Criterion’s 4K UHD and Blu-ray listing gives the theatrical version a runtime of 150 minutes and also includes an extended director’s cut called The Reborn Cut. Criterion lists Dolby Atmos, a director commentary and a making-of documentary among the edition’s features. Those are details of that physical edition; they do not establish its current stock or availability.
For readers curious about the source rather than another cut, Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel is the film’s literary inspiration. It is best understood as a companion source text, not automatically as an official movie tie-in edition.
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