Caviara

A formulaic comedy, 'popular' in the negative sense of the word, completely demagogic and full of worn-out gags. It's a real shame, because the cast is likeable. Most of the actors could deliver far better lines if they weren't written in a slapdash way by a screenwriter paid by the line and lacking any imagination. All the characters are caricatures without being funny, and the whole thing ends up looking utterly ridiculous. The plot lacks realism, it's hard to believe any of it, and poor Kev Adams does what he can to save the day.

I was afraid I'd be faced with yet another mainstream adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel. I feared the creature would look like a Halloween monster, and that none of the symbolic messages that form the very essence of the original work would be present. Because Hollywood directors who have tackled Frankenstein in the past usually throw away the substance and keep only the surface, reducing this Gothic masterpiece to a mere monster movie meant to scare children.

But since this one was directed by Guillermo Del Toro, I thought he might be able to change that. And he did. I even wonder if, among all the filmmakers who have taken on Frankenstein, he isn't the only one who actually read the book. Because everything is there: the philosophy Mary Shelley so cleverly wove between the lines (so as not to incur the wrath of Queen Victoria, that sanctimonious little holy frog), the mythological references, and more.

As for the purely artistic aspect, there's nothing to criticize. The direction is simply magnificent, the acting is subtle, and the costumes and sets immerse us perfectly in the dreamlike world of nineteenth-century dark romanticism. Guillermo Del Toro has therefore achieved an intelligent and visually spectacular masterpiece. Bravo! 👏🏻