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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Be warned.

1994123 minRMidcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Director
Kenneth Branagh
Starring
Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter

Victor Frankenstein is a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster, which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It's not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Mary Shelley's Frankenstein streaming on Netflix, Pluto TV (free) and Sony Pictures Core via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein earns 7 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Haunting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein worth watching?

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein's Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all films, from 123K ratings across 6 sources. 50% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of films

51st percentile among Drama56th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)52nd

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

51st percentile among Drama56th percentile among 1990s

Critics 49 · Audience 63

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

50% liked it

52nd percentile of all films

50th percentile among Drama55th percentile among 1990s
50% rated it 7–1050% rated it 1–6

Critics 42% · Audience 49%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 18 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Makeup
  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Production Design

95th percentile

123K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Drama94th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$45M
Opening weekend$11M
Domestic gross$22M
Worldwide gross$112M

Returned 2.5× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a visually lavish, melodramatic adaptation that hews closer to Mary Shelley's novel than most earlier films.

Fans praised

  • De Niro's sympathetic, multi-layered creature
  • faithful to Shelley's novel in spirit and themes
  • sumptuous period sets, costumes, and Doyle's score

Detractors panned

  • Branagh's over-the-top, melodramatic acting and direction
  • rushed pacing and convoluted plot crammed into two hours
  • De Niro's distracting New York accent and unconvincing physicality

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive75

Lavish sets, beautiful locations, but dizzying camera work

Sound and musicDivisive75

Patrick Doyle's sweeping score praised, but sometimes overwhelming

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

Impressive creature makeup and practical effects, but some dated

ActingDivisive65

De Niro's creature praised; Branagh's Victor called hammy by detractors

Emotional impactDivisive55

Sympathy for the creature works; Victor's arc less affecting

CharactersDivisive50

Victor's obsession motivated, but many secondary characters underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive45

Faithful to novel but rushed and illogical in places

PacingDivisive30

Frantic and rushed in first half, slow in middle, uneven throughout

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 15 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 15 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 17 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Mary Shelley's 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 haunted. 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
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Romantic · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its Gothic romance with heightened emotion and operatic sincerity, embracing the melodramatic spirit of the novel.
The rideA sustained atmosphere of impending doom from Victor's first experiments to the final Arctic confrontation, punctuated by moments of violent horror.
StructureThe story is framed by Captain Walton's Arctic expedition, within which Victor recounts his linear narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's tragic conclusion and the creature's final fate leave a persistent sense of melancholy and moral weight.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · 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%: Hubris 1% · 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%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeVictor Frankenstein's scientific hubris creates a being that turns against him, leading to a cycle of revenge and destruction.

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 filmsSelfMortalitySurvival
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%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · 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%

Survival

Mortality · 2% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Guilt · 3% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the terror of death and the lengths one will go to defy it, while Victor's obsessive pursuit of knowledge and his crippling guilt over the Creature's rampage form the emotional core.
StanceThe film warns against the hubris of defying mortality, presenting Victor's ambition as a destructive force that devastates everyone around him.

The world

Early modernInstitutionalDomesticWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Patrick Doyle
Setting1790s Switzerland, Ingolstadt university, and the Arctic wilderness
MusicDoyle's thunderous, romantic score amplifies the gothic grandeur and emotional excess of the film.

Content guide

Is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein okay for kids?

R

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is rated R: “Rated R for horrific images” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (74/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at mild (24/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (2/100) and frightening material at intense (68/100). Overall it is heavier than 32% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia12+
  • Hungary16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Spain18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 57% of all filmsHeavier than 32% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 3%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 1%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 61%

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 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

Cast

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

Robert De Niro
as Creature
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.
Kenneth Branagh
as Victor Frankenstein
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.
Tom Hulce
as Henry Clerval
Helena Bonham Carter
as Elizabeth Lavenza
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.
Aidan Quinn
as Captain Walton
Ian Holm
as Victor's Father
Richard Briers
as Grandfather
John Cleese
as Professor Waldman
Robert Hardy
as Professor Krempe
Cherie Lunghi
as Victor's Mother

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

Movies like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein include Wuthering Heights (1992), Frankenstein (2025) and Victor Frankenstein (2015). Of the 12 closest matches, most are gothic horror films, and most are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

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

Mary Shelley wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

989 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: creation runs amok. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.