Netflix’s new movie adaptation of classic sci-fi story rockets to top of streaming charts

Directed by an Oscar-winner, the film has a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) stars in the new movie as Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist in the 19th century who brings a creature (Jacob Elordi, Saltburn) to life in a "monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation".

Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) wrote and directed the long-time passion film project, with its cast also including Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), David Bradley (The Strain), Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards), Mia Goth (Pearl) and Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu).

Frankenstein got a limited cinema release last month before being added to Netflix a few days ago on 7 November.

The period sci-fi horror has been very warmly received, currently holding an 86% critics score and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Many reviewers remarked that del Toro's clear lifelong love of monsters and Shelley's story shines through in his Frankenstein adaptation, with its "soulful" take on the source material and its "gorgeous" production design.

Elordi's performance as The Creature has also been singled out for praise.

You can read a sample of some of those glowing reviews for del Toro's Frankenstein below:

Boston Globe: "This is a horror movie, but it’s also a heartbreaking tale of forced existence and the subsequent quest for answers. And it’s one of the year’s best movies."

Chicago Reader: "Del Toro spent nearly 25 years dreaming up this world, and it shows, especially in Dan Laustsen’s gorgeous cinematography and Kate Hawley’s opulent costume design."

iNews.co.uk: "In Frankenstein, [del Toro] has created a powerfully entertaining, existential new version of an old story -- not exactly producing something totally unique, but enlivening the familiar tale with haunting performances and some truly striking images."

Little White Lies: "Guillermo del Toro handles Mary Shelley’s canonical text with the tenderness of a butterfly, exulting in the author’s wisdom and sense of high tragedy while bringing his own steampunk spin to the material."

The Reveal: "Once the film finds its true hero, it becomes exactly as good as the idea of a del Toro adaptation promised: the defining 21st century cinematic Frankenstein."

Seattle Times: "This Frankenstein has no shortage of horrors, but it also finds notes of forgiveness and kindness; it’s a monster movie with a soul."

USA Today: "Frankenstein might just be [del Toro's] greatest hit, as an electrifying master pours every bit of his soul into his gorgeous creation."

Frankenstein is currently top of Netflix’s movie chart in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The sci-fi horror also placed No. 1 on JustWatch's film streaming chart for Ireland and the UK this week.

Frankenstein is streaming on Netflix now.

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It’s currently priced at €53.52 in a limited-time deal on the Amazon website.

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