The Shape of Water movie review: A gorgeous cinematic experience
While the premise isn't exactly anything new, it's del Toro's masterful execution that makes this film stand out.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer.
Visionary director Guillermo del Toro is back with yet another fantasy story, this time its a tale of a woman who falls in love with a strange aquatic creature, set in 1960's. The film boats of breathtaking cinematography and fantastic visual effects, but 'The Shape of Water' is certainly more than a mere stylistic spectacle. This film is a thoughtful meditation on the nature of love and its ultimate lack of boundaries. It is a surrealistic, romantic and sometime satirical film with a great cast and some good subplots full of metaphors about racism, homosexuality, patriotism and male chauvinism during that decade.
The film tells a story of a mute woman Elisa (Sally Hawkins), who works as a cleaner at a military base with her friend, Zelda (Octavia Spencer). There they find that Strickland (Michael Shannon) has brought something strange back to the base. It is a humanoid amphibian creature captured from Amazonian river. Over a period of time, Elisa forms a special bond with the creature and devises a plan to help it escape with her.
Guillermo del Toro's work has never been short on conceptual beauty, and 'The Shape of Water' is yet another great example of that. From his more artsy Spanish films (Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth) to the more mainstream efforts (Hellboy, Pacific Rim, and Crimson Peak), the director continues his habit of one-upping the preceding film. While the premise isn't exactly anything new here, it's del Toro's masterful execution that makes this film stand out. The beast itself, heavily influenced by the creature from the 'Black Lagoon', looks fantastic.
On a technical level, the film is exceptional. There are just so many great things from the cinematography and production design which make the film look exquisite. Music is just fantastic; the orchestrated score is just beautiful as it just perfectly captures what's happening but most importantly the feelings of both Eliza and the Creature and who they are as characters.
Sally Hawkins perfectly exudes emotion, despite her character being mute. With dynamic sign language and spirited facial expressions, Hawkins gives a solid performance. The Amphibian Creature is nicely played by make up and costume actor Doug Jones. His character is likeable enough but it lacks the typical mystery and charisma that we love to see in del Toro's 'monsters' (Think of Pale Man in 'Pan's Labyrinth'). There are some ravishing moments between the two like seeing both Eliza and him underwater together, which feels like a dance from how they move and float together. The film has a great supporting cast with very talented Octavia Spencer (Eliza's black co-worker), Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Jenkins (Eliza's gay neighbour), and Michael Shannon, who plays an impressively grotesque antagonist. He gives a compelling performance as an abusive sociopath in the guise of authority. In one particular scene, the way Shannon's character exerts his dominance over the wife during their intimate session, sets the right juxtaposition of human character as the real monster.
'The Shape of Water' is more than just a movie; it's a delicious visual treat and overall a fantastic cinematic experience. It's utterly gorgeous; backed up with scene stealing acting, brilliant photography, and powerful messages, all done with del Toro's distinct touch. Do not miss this one.