I Am Frankelda review: A mesmerising animated musical influenced by Guillermo del Toro

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

If you often wake up thinking your dreams could be a great story for a book or movie, you might really enjoy I Am Frankelda. This visually impressive animated film, created by brothers Roy and Arturo Ambriz, is the first full-length stop-motion movie made in Mexico. It’s a prequel to their 2021 TV show, Frankelda’s Book of Spooks, and tells a unique and interesting story about finding your creative voice, owning your work, and celebrating what makes you different. The movie is just over an hour and 40 minutes long and is available with different language options.

Okay, so I just finished watching ‘I Am Frankelda,’ and wow! It’s hard to describe – it’s like a musical, but with this really cool, spooky fantasy vibe. Honestly, it felt like Guillermo del Toro had a hand in it – you can totally see his love for monsters and those stories about people who don’t quite fit in. I definitely got hints of movies like ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’ ‘Coco,’ ‘Inside Out,’ and ‘Monsters, Inc.’ but the Ambriz brothers really made it their own. The animation is just gorgeous and they clearly put a lot of work into creating a unique and visually stunning world. It’s not just copying other stuff; it feels special.

I was immediately drawn into this film’s world, introduced through Francisca Imelda, a young, ambitious writer living in 18th-century Mexico. She’s raised by a strict grandmother, but fueled by her late mother’s encouragement to create. Francisca starts writing stories for the other kids, but her darker interests – creepy monsters and spooky tales – begin to set her apart and leave her feeling pretty lonely.

One day, Francisca is shocked when one of her creations magically comes to life. A young prince named Herneval, who she imagined as an owl-boy, appears and reveals the existence of Topus Terrenus – a secret world hidden beneath our own, powered by human fear. This underground kingdom is incredibly detailed, filled with strange creatures and a grand palace where an old royal family resides. They are assisted by Procustes, a terrifying eight-legged, eight-eyed being who ensures people remain frightened, keeping Topus Terrenus alive.

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The film subtly connects the fading magic of its fantastical world with Francisca’s personal struggles. Years later, voiced by Mireya Mendoza, she faces the challenge of being a female writer in a world that doesn’t always value women’s voices. Her choice to publish under the name “Frankelda” cleverly echoes the experiences of many female authors throughout history – like George Eliot and Robert Galbraith – and adds a surprisingly modern and relatable layer to the story.

Things really changed when Herneval, now all grown up (played by Arturo Mercado Jr.), brought Frankelda on board as Topus Terrenus’s new Nightmare-Teller. It became a story about someone trying to steal another’s work, and how that connects to control. Poor Procustes got really upset and started trying to copy Frankelda’s writing, desperate to get back in charge.

Initially, ‘I Am Frankelda’ skillfully blends a creative world with a heartfelt story about finding your place and expressing yourself. However, as the story progresses and characters travel between dreams and different realities, it becomes confusing. The mythology grows too quickly, overwhelming the central story, and the emotionally resonant fantasy eventually becomes lost in a maze of complex ideas.

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While Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio builds on a well-known story, I Am Frankelda has to create its world and rules entirely from the ground up. The animation is energetic and playful, but the movie demands a lot from viewers. It becomes hard to follow and stay engaged as the plot gets more and more confusing, especially when things get really strange, like when a person’s mind can turn into a book.

The music isn’t particularly memorable, but it does a good job of moving the story along, and each scene is beautifully animated. The song “Yo Ya Había Estado Aquí” (I Had Already Been Here) is a highlight – Herneval’s tour of his amazing world is incredibly detailed and stays with you even after the movie ends.

Even when the plot isn’t perfect, the film is beautifully made. The animation is consistently stunning, filled with small details and creative creatures. It’s a heartwarming story with well-developed characters, impressive visuals, and a lot of imagination. However, a needlessly complex final act and a disappointing ending hold it back from being a truly classic stop-motion film, which it sometimes feels like it could be.

Authors

Alex Berry

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2026-06-10 17:44