Every time there is talk of a Frankenstein adaptation, a grotesque creature with sickly yellow, see-through skin instantly flashes to our minds. Hollywood has indeed turned this creature into a pop culture icon, but in the process, it has also become a bit of a parody of its own legend. And just when everyone thought the moment had passed for a faithful Frankenstein adaptation, Guillermo del Toro came along and turned it into a thoughtful tale about what it means to be human. 

Although faithful, the adaptation does take its fair share of artistic liberties that are worth a deeper look too. 

It is common knowledge that Mary Shelley’s novel did not explicitly show the monster's self-immolation or death in the end. This ambiguous ending led some readers to believe he may have followed through with his plan, while others thought he might not. Netflix’s Frankenstein, too, does not depict the monster’s demise. Instead, it hints that he survives the confrontation with Victor. The ending resonates with the novel's core theme that the Creature cannot be easily destroyed, which is something Victor himself confesses to the ship's captain. Yet, there is a subtle but thoughtful departure.

Netflix's Frankenstein has a bittersweet, hopeful ending. This time, the Creature’s story ended on a promise of possibility. This positive turn was different from the book’s tragic conclusion, where he plans to end his own life in remorse after Frankenstein’s death. The outcast creature almost becomes an emblem of self-discovery and resilience, who is both terrifying and misunderstood yet capable of love. And that is just one of the creative liberties taken.

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Netflix's Frankenstein presents a number of narrative alterations that, more often than not, elevated the film’s charm.

Guillermo del Toro has moved away from the stereotypical witless monster simply meant to wreak havoc. The 2025 film also gave the creature intellectual acuity and emotional complexity. Victor, too, is presented as unmistakably culpable, whereas the novel tried to lean on his convenient lapses of accountability to keep the plot moving. Apart from the characters, Mary Shelley’s classic tale was also reimagined with a bit of visual flourish in the director’s well-known style.

The film has a colorful aesthetic rather than the conventional period-piece palette. This helped recreate the novel’s original position as a distinctly modern work. One moment that really sticks is when Victor selects the ideal body parts for his experiment, and even with the grotesque imagery, a playful score was plugged in out of nowhere to make the scene oddly whimsical as the mad surgeon did his thing. Yet it is safe to say that none of these departures compromise the vision of Netflix’s adaptation. And now, it is time to see what Christian Bale brings to the creature we all know and love.

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What do you think about Netflix's take on Mary Shelley's beloved tale? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!