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Frankenstein

Frankenstein

Only monsters play God.

2025149 minRMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Starring
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth

Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Frankenstein?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Frankenstein streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Frankenstein?

Frankenstein earns 10 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Drama.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Frankenstein worth watching?

Frankenstein's Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all films, from 3.1M ratings across 6 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of films

95th percentile among Drama94th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)92nd

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

94th percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2020s

Critics 78 · Audience 76

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.6 — solid but not unanimous.

82% liked it

92nd percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Drama92nd percentile among 2020s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Critics 85% · Audience 94%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 26 wins / 74 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Director - Motion Picture
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Drama

99th percentile

3.1M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$120M
Worldwide gross$144K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 38th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is visually stunning with standout performances, especially Jacob Elordi's Creature.

Fans praised

  • visual feast: production design, costumes, cinematography
  • Jacob Elordi's Creature: graceful, tragic, book-accurate
  • emotional depth: asks what it means to want to die

Detractors panned

  • strays from Mary Shelley's original vision
  • muddled tones and underwhelming story
  • ends weakly, lacks soul despite technical beauty

What stands out

Acting88

Elordi's Creature is praised for grace and pathos; Isaac's Victor is brilliant and tortured; Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz also lauded

Cinematography88

stunning gothic visuals, Oscar-nominated, every frame a feast

Atmosphere84

immersive gothic world, cold and tragic, with blood-red skies and green shadows

Sound and music82

Desplat's score is praised as Oscar-worthy; sound design complements tone, but some note it lags visuals

Effects and spectacle80

creature makeup and practical effects are lauded, but some find superhero-like powers gratuitous

Emotional impactDivisive78

fans call it devastating, a tragedy of the soul; detractors find it soulless and unaffecting

Characters72

Creature is a lonely soul, but some find the characterization unconvincing and Victor underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive65

faithful to the novel's multiple perspectives, but detractors call it muddled and unfocused

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Frankenstein like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadMelancholicBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Multiple perspectives · 2% of films: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneGuillermo del Toro plays the material completely straight, with a somber and operatic gravity that never winks at the audience.
The rideThe film sustains a dark, foreboding tension, with the emotional weight culminating in the tragic reconciliation and the Creature's lonely survival.
StructureThe story is told within a framing device on an icebound ship, then shifts to Victor's account and later the Creature's perspective.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

Devastating · 3% of filmsBittersweetHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer with a profound sense of tragedy and sadness, yet also a glimmer of reconciliation.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).TragedyHubris
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% (this title) · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA tragic tale of a scientist whose hubris leads to the creation of a sentient being, then a chase across the Arctic as the creator and creature confront each other.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Redemption · 6% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Grief · 6% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeVictor's obsessive quest to conquer death is rooted in grief for his mother, and the story ultimately turns toward reconciliation and forgiveness between creator and creature.
StanceThe film questions the ethics of creation and the consequences of ambition, presenting both Victor and the Creature with moral complexity rather than simple judgment.

The world

19th centuryIn transitRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Alexandre Desplat
SettingAn icebound ship in the Arctic, and flashbacks to Victorian-era Edinburgh, a rural estate, and a laboratory tower.
MusicDesplat's score blends sweeping, romantic strings with unsettling textures, echoing the gothic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Frankenstein okay for kids?

R

Frankenstein is rated R: “Rated R for bloody violence and grisly images” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (43/100), language at mild (25/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at severe (82/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 38 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandR16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Argentina+16
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • BGD
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaA
  • IsraelAll
  • Italy10+
  • LTN-16
  • LU16
  • LV16+
  • MexicoC
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-16
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • PRR
  • SingaporeM18
  • South Africa16
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA16+
  • VIR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 76% of all filmsHeavier than 59% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 81%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 41%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 3%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 82%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Frankenstein have?

MovieCove's classifier found 8 depicted content warnings in Frankenstein: Gore or body horror (severe), Gun violence (severe), Animal cruelty (moderate), Animal death (moderate), Child abuse (moderate), Medical procedures (moderate), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGore or body horrorGun violence
ModerateAnimal crueltyAnimal deathChild abuseMedical procedures

Cast and crew

Who is in Frankenstein?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Oscar Isaac
as Victor Frankenstein
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jacob Elordi
as The Creature
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christoph Waltz
as Harlander
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mia Goth
as Elizabeth
Felix Kammerer
as William Frankenstein
Charles Dance
as Leopold Frankenstein
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
David Bradley
as Blind Man
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Lars Mikkelsen
as Captain Anderson
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Christian Convery
as Young Victor Frankenstein
Nikolaj Lie Kaas
as Chief Officer Larsen
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Frankenstein?

Movies like Frankenstein include The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Son of Frankenstein (1939) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Guillermo del Toro, and several are stories about mad scientists.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Mary Shelley wrote 5 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Frankenstein?

82 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: elevated horror. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.