It is well worth it I will fully admit and wow what a good adaptation! Like this was on my radar since it's announcement and I only wish I could have seen it sooner, but we're here now and I am so so happy. Now admittedly I haven't read the book in years, fun fact true fact this was the subject of the first ever book report I had to do in school and was recommended to me by my teacher, but now I feel even more enticed to read it again! So I can't fullheartedly say this is a flawless adaptation of the story but I can say it is a damn good re-telling. I like how the movie is split up into parts giving us a bit of backstory on Victor before he even attempts reanimation, then going into the real meat and bones of his work in a fairly quick pace, and then we shift to see his creation's story from his perspective. Oscar Isaac is on top form here, easily the best performance I've seen him give and if ever people didn't pick up on the subtleties of Victor being the truly monstrous figure this film will set it straight for you! He manages to capture that wide eyed manic genius, the manipulation and spurn, and the sorrow of what his work has done to his life, so he plays quite a gambit throughout! Jacob Elordi as the creature in the very first example of his acting I have ever seen was indeed the highlight, balancing more nonverbal acting with very eloquent and equally dramatic lines with so much heart that would make Boris proud. Mia Goth was an interesting choice for Elizabeth and indeed while she's not in the movie a great deal her characterization is what makes her so memorable, she has her own interests, is very outspoken, smacks Victor in his place on several occasions, and melts quite easily in the presence of a quote unquote monster which was very lovely to see. It's funny how no matter how much times have changed there's still this intangible attraction to monsters in cinema, which of course I'm a massive fan of. Those are our big players but the fact we get talent like Lars Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz, and David Bradley in the secondary character department made me happy as hell regardless of their screentime and role. The visuals are shock of all shocks amazing, I know very hard to believe in a Del Toro film, but the period piece costuming and sets, the gothic lens we peek through from time to time, the snowy environments, it all lends to a very beautiful film! And it has certain little bits of visual DNA from the other versions of this story, the windmill from the 1931 film, the black trenchcoat and possibly the heterochromia eyes of the 90s Robert De Niro movie, the lab sets almost straight out of a Hammer film, it felt right at home. The movie has the heart needed for the subject material without question, it didn't make me cry but it got me close, it is an emotional tale at the core of it all and it doesn't get overdramatic but when it needs to go big it revels in the moment. All the effects work is so well done from the creature design, to the more gory bits, to the pyro it all is top notch stuff. I had a very good time with it and I know some people will get even more out of it than me without a doubt to which I say, party it up girls! Have fun with it, go see it if you haven't already, it's worth the runtime. 4 stars, 8.5/10, and next week we'll get back to one review but it's more catch up from me so stay tuned.
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