Baumgartner D (2026)
Publication Type: Other publication type
Publication year: 2026
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) offers a contemporary reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s classic narrative that proves highly fertile for systematic-theological and philosophical reflection. This article analyzes the film as a model narrative for exploring fundamental questions concerning creation, creatureliness, personhood, relationality, responsibility, and forgiveness in an age of advanced technological creativity. Against the backdrop of current debates on transhumanism and artificial intelligence, the film illustrates the ambivalence of human beings as “mini-creators” whose creative power is not morally neutral but intrinsically bound to responsibility for their creations.
By examining the relationships between creator and creature, the analysis highlights a personalist understanding of dignity that is not grounded in physical appearance or origin but in relational capacity, autonomy, and moral agency. The Creature’s development through interpersonal encounter contrasts sharply with Frankenstein’s functional and instrumentalizing approach, revealing a theological critique of objectifying modes of creation. Furthermore, the article interprets the Creature’s existential struggle as a reflection on original sin, undeserved existence, and the intrinsic value of life beyond its origins.
Finally, the film’s conclusion—centered on forgiveness without atonement—is read as a powerful expression of autonomous moral agency and as an illustration of Christian concepts of reconciliation and enemy love. Overall, the article argues that Frankenstein serves as a compelling cinematic model for reflecting on ethical and theological challenges posed by contemporary forms of human creativity, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
APA:
Baumgartner, D. (2026). Frankenstein (2025) by Guillermo del Toro: A Theological Review.
MLA:
Baumgartner, Dominik. Frankenstein (2025) by Guillermo del Toro: A Theological Review. 2026.
BibTeX: Download