Crimson Peak, 2015.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Starring Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska.
SYNOPSIS:
In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.
To outright call Crimson Peak one of 2015’s best horror films would still somehow be an understatement and a disservice to the quality of Guillermo del Toro’s latest beautiful work of art. Reason being is that, like Edith (Mia Wasikowska) says while writing the manuscript for her novel, this isn’t a ghost story but rather a story that involves ghosts. Spirits haunting gothic mansions is a front for what is really a twisted romance with a touch of mystery.
The only real problem with Crimson Peak is that its twists and true character motivations aren’t exactly hidden very well. Romance between the two leads is also rushed and somewhat forced, leaving you wondering if a good chunk of the first act was cut to keep the running time at two hours. It may actually become aggravating watching these characters stumble around not catching on to what, for us, seems so obvious, but in the end none of this really matters because del Toro’s execution of the material is too damn visually fascinating.
Some have said that due to this preference of style over substance, Crimson Peak loses focus and actually forgets to be scary, which is a fair enough true statement, but once again, the meticulously crafted enormous home full of different levels and basements (which is also eroded on clay, with holes in the ceiling for substances like snow to unwantedly pour in), numerous amounts of ravishing dresses and fancy apparel, vivid and hauntingly, strikingly colorful ghosts conjured up from the mind of del Toro, eerie lighting techniques, and explosive finale full of graphic violence all come together to make an irresistibly engrossing movie despite its shortcomings. Putting it bluntly, the atmosphere alone of Crimson Peak can chill audiences to their very core despite not being conventionally horrifying.
It also helps to have a loaded cast of underrated actors such as Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, and Mia Wasikowska, and to a lesser extent Charlie Hunnam (he sounds like he’s crossing an English accent with his American one used on Sons of Anarchy) to also make the familiar plot beats come alive, distinguished from the typical garbage paranormal films aggressively dumped upon us throughout the year. Regardless of whether we feel Edith is stupid for not having figured out everything she does sooner, it can’t take away the fact that watching her dig deeper into an unfolding series of events that don’t quite add up is well-played.
Even more intriguing is del Toro’s artistic interpretation of the purpose of a ghost; sorry to disappoint you, but this isn’t a movie where ghouls are around to intentionally inflict harm, picking off characters like a slasher film. What’s really psychologically terrifying about Crimson Peak is that for as ghastly and hideously maimed as the spirits appear, they’re actually trying to help and impose warnings of danger. Some will definitely be disappointed that the role of the spirits takes a backseat to mystery and romance of all things, but then again, this movie isn’t for those people.
Whether the overall narrative lives up to high expectations or not, it’s hard to deny that Crimson Peak, especially on an IMAX screen, is one of the most gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing films of the year. The entire third act where much of the surroundings are covered in a blizzard fused with gooey red clay is essentially one extended freeze-frame worthy of being a beautiful desktop background. Some scenes also track Wasikowska from an overhead perspective, which is again, mesmerizing to behold. There is also a scene when the camera is looking in on a pool of red clay as snow drips on in, which is a shot that most directors would just implement 3-D to capture vividly, but not del Toro. The point is, I really could go on all day about how aesthetically imaginative and gorgeous this movie is, but in reality the only thing that will do it justice is seeing it for yourself.
It really is a crying f****** shame that recently Guillermo del Toro isn’t having much luck getting his projects supported. Silent Hills (a video game he was collaborating on with Metal Gear Solid franchise creator Hideo Kojima) was canceled because Konami apparently hates money, while Pacific Rim 2 is now on indefinite hold due to a falling out between Universal and Legendary Pictures, and it’s all a gigantic travesty because del Toro might be one of the greatest visionary directors to ever grace cinema. He’s one of those rare directors that is in the game for the love of his craft rather than solely just making money.
Is Crimson Peak perfect? No, you can see pretty much every twist and turn coming, and much of the actual romance isn’t really earned, but the beauty of everything on display alongside some delightful performances (Jessica Chastain gets batshit psycho bitch crazy by the end of this one), eloquent production sets, and some gruesome violence make Crimson Peak worth every dollar. Pan’s Labyrinth is still the auteur’s masterpiece, but this isn’t too shabby either.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=C_zu6XuI_g4
Originally published October 16, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
