Frankenstein (2025)

[Dr. Whom]

The Guilliermo del Toro version, of course.

For me, this is in the 'Beautiful but boring' category. I had given up on it about halfway, and had to push myself to finish it.

If you stick to the classic story (as here is the case), the main interest lies in the interaction between Frankenstein and the creature. Yet here the creature doesn't appear for the first hour or so. What you get is an extensive (and mostly by the numbers) backstory of Victor Frankenstein, which holds very little interest, as you know where it will lead to.
Once the creature appears, and we get its perspective, things get a lot more interesting. Seeing as the movie is on Netflix, I'd say do yourself a favour and fast forward through the first part.

Visually, it is stunning. Enormous care has gone into the production design, which is magnificent. It simply takes too long to get going, but that is a complaint I have with a lot of contemporary movies.

[Alex]

I've heard a lot of people say very similar things to you along the lines of visually stunning but hollow.

[Dr. Whom]

I wouldn't say it is hollow. It does make some points, it is just that it spends ages getting to them.

It doesn't help that everybody knows the story. When you get the extensive backstory of young Frankenstein, you're not wondering 'where will this all lead to', I was thinking 'when will get to the creature'.