In the shadows of an imposing Gothic castle, a driven and ambitious scientist, Henry Frankenstein, toils away alongside his hunchbacked assistant, Fritz. Frankenstein is obsessed with his groundbreaking experiment: to create life from death. He believes that through the power of science, he can animate a body, pieced together from the remains of the deceased. His quest for this unnatural achievement isolates him from his concerned fiancée Elizabeth, his best friend Victor, and his mentor, Dr. Waldman. Despite their worries, Frankenstein’s obsession only grows, driving him to grave-robbing and the harnessing of a powerful lightning storm to give his creation the spark of life.

As the storm rages, Frankenstein succeeds in his experiment, giving life to a creature of his own making. The Creature, an imposing figure with a frightful countenance, first reveals signs of gentle misunderstanding but quickly becomes confused and frightened by the world around it. Fear and mistreatment from its human creators begin to paint its experiences, leading to unforeseen and troubling consequences. The town below the castle remains ignorant of the scientist's forays into playing god, but as tensions and odd occurrences pile up, the line between creator and creation is strained, and Frankenstein’s moral and ethical boundaries are put to the test.