Films by Guillermo del Toro are always something to look forward to. He's a director who punctuates great storytelling with exceptional visual impact. He's known for dabbling in other genres like sci-fi (hello, Pacific Rim), superheroes (Blade, Hellboy) but he's always been known for his films steeped in horror. Hence, my enthusiasm and trepidation (because... horror) when I heard about Crimson Peak.
In the 1800s in New York, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) realizes that ghosts are all too real when her dead mother visits her and tells her to "beware of Crimson Peak". As a young lady with a doting rich father, Edith struggles to make a name for herself as a novelist, burdened by the stereotype that women should write about romance, instead of her preferred ghost stories. She meets visiting Englishman Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), who is trying to gain financing for his clay-mining invention, and is quite taken when he compliments her writing. But Edith's father Carter (Jim Beaver) does not approve of Thomas and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain), as does her childhood friend Dr. Alan Carmichael (Charlie Hunnam). What ensues is a web of deceit and lies designed to bring Edith to the very place her mother warned her against.
Crimson Peak does very well at setting the tone for the more creepy elements of its narrative, with ghosts that are definitely designed to cause Edith to fear their presence. The production design is mostly in dark settings, highlighting the rather dim world that Edith finds herself in as she allows herself to be wooed by the charms of Sir Thomas. A sense of dread comes with every strange noise, which is all the more emphasized with the near ruined state of Allerdale Hall, or Crimson Peak, a nickname derived from the red clay that seeps up to stain the winter snow. But there are flashes of bright colors, such as the red of the clay that Sir Thomas aims to mine so that they can one day bring the Hall back to its former glory and the riches they once enjoyed, or Edith's bright yellow dress that stands out in the bleak backdrop of her new home.
The small cast of Crimson Peak is probably its best feature, with Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain bringing their respective characters to life on screen. Mia Wasikowska is heartbreakingly adorable in her portrayal of Edith, with her nature that is easy to trust and her small forms of rebellion to fight against the role expected of her in society. Jessica Chastain dictates the energy of every scene she is in, her cold demeanor occasionally shattered by bouts of anger that you would run away from had you been in Edith's shoes. And Tom Hiddleston bounces between being charming towards Edith and complicit with Lucille, and is probably the most polarizing character in the film for me. You know that he's planning something dastardly with his sister, but still can't help but empathize with Edith's starry eyed gaze every time he turns on the charm. Seriously, the man has too much of it. It's now hard for me to imagine Benedict Cumberbatch in the role, despite my sadness at the news that he decided to drop out of filming Crimson Peak.
I do have to admit to a smidgen of disappointment in my viewing of Crimson Peak. I was expecting a straight up horror fare, but instead was delivered a film that was more mystery thriller in its veins. The ghostly scares were served, but were few and far in between. And it's the strange behavior of the mansion's human inhabitants that turn out to be more ghastly in nature. The storytelling is still good, but one that I had to learn to adjust to in the midst of watching. There was also a sense of predictability with some of the twists served in the film, but are niggling concerns when considering the film in its entirety.
Crimson Peak isn't the best of Guillermo del Toro, both in terms of storytelling and in serving horror, but it's still a film that's easy to enjoy. It looks gorgeous on screen and the cast is exemplary. It's a great starter film if you're new to watching films by the director, and one that should lead you to the absolutely fun confection that is Pacific Rim and the perfection that is Pan's Labyrinth.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Crimson Peak, Film, Horror, Must-Watch, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
