Like many people at this website, I'm a fan of Guillermo del Toro. I've seen all of his movies (with Blade II actually being my favorite of his), so you know I watched his most recent movie, Frankenstein, which is actually my colleague, Mick Joest's, favorite film of his.
And, guess what. I liked it, too! But, as a father, it actually hit me differently than all of del Toro’s other movies. Here's why.
I See That Maybe I Ask Too Much Of My Children, Much Like Victor's Father
Frankenstein is a unique film in del Toro's catalogue since it actually feels like two movies in one. On one end, we get the story from Victor's (Oscar Isaac) perspective, and on the other end, we get the Creature's (Jacob Elordi) side of things. In many ways, this is like the novel (but slightly different) in that we learn that things aren't so simple.
Well, in the first half, we see Victor's Father (Charles Dance) being hard on him. Victor's father, you see, is a respected doctor, and he expects the best from Victor, sometimes hurting him if he gets a question wrong. And, this actually makes me consider how tough I am on my own kids.
Both of my children are honor roll students, but I get upset if they get a bad grade, to the point where I possibly make them feel bad if they bring home a C, asking, “Did you even try on this?” Victor's eventual coldness is something that I have to look out for with my own children, so I will try not to be so negative toward a bad grade. They'll get ‘em next time.
While I Don't Approve Of His Actions, I Do Get Why Frankenstein Struggles Raising A Non-compliant "Child"
Not only am I a father, but I’m also a teacher. And, while this year’s class is great, I’ve definitely had my years where I’ve taught non-compliant students. This also makes me think of Frankenstein. Because later on in the film, he nurtures the Creature at first, but then gets frustrated because the Creature is not advancing in the way that he wants. This leads Victor to anger, and then to disgust.
This really pinged both the father and the teacher in me, since I often struggle with understanding why some children don’t see that I’m trying to help them, and are instead being noncompliant. It bothers me even more when it’s my own children who are talking back or just not following instructions.
In this way, I “get” Frankenstein’s negative attitude toward the Creature. In one scene, he tries to get him to say something other than “Victor,” and when the Creature doesn’t, Victor gets mad, forgetting that you can’t FORCE “a child” to advance. You have to go at their speed, and adjust when appropriate.
That Said, I Would Never Abandon My Children, No Matter How Frustrated I Get
Victor not only tries to abandon his creation, but he even tries to destroy it. And, while I may get upset with my children and even take things away from them, like their TV privileges, I would never abandon my children (or worse, try to destroy them!) as Victor does.
This is important because, as a Black dad, I know there are a lot of ugly stereotypes out there that Black fathers don’t take care of their kids, and how we abandon them. But, unlike Frankenstein, who is very quick to get rid of his “kid,” I don't care how annoying my children get (and again, they're good kids, both are honor roll students, I would still never abandon them. Never ever.
So, instead of focusing on their “problems,” as Victor does, I celebrate my children's strengths and try to work with them on their weaknesses. This is something that Victor learned when it was way too late.