Crimson Peak, 2015.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Burn Gorman, Doug Jones, Leslie Hope and Jim Beaver.
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.
I ain’t ‘fraid no ghost. If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who are you going to call? Why, Guillermo del Toro of course. After many ghost stories over recent times that have been more inclined to include scares with mobile phones and found footage, it’s about time a new ghostly story found its way onto the screen. Is Crimson Peak the film to bring back the creeps? Not quite.
From its opening salvo in a brisk, bleak winter’s night as the snow falls heavy onto the eerie surroundings, it’s undeniably a del Toro film: sumptuous, romantic and gorgeous. Brimming with stunning detail, colour bursts with a dark haze, while the lavish settings and costumes are magnificent, transporting you firmly into the late 1800’s. It’s all about the period here, and it’s fully immersive down to the last detail. It’s a shame then to report that for all of the gorgeous beauty of Crimson Peak, the luscious extravagance of the era that del Toro and co. capture so exquisitely, that the story surrounding it falls rather flat.
Amongst the horse-drawn hustle and bustle of Brooklyn, New York, we meet Edith (Wasikowska), the daughter of businessman Carter Cushing (Jim Beaver) who dreams of becoming a writer. Her new draft catches the eye of Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), a entrancingly handsome aristocrat from England, who is travelling with his mysterious sister Lucille (Chastain) – in fact Edith becomes so infatuated with Thomas that the two are soon betrothed and to be married, much to the displeasure of her father. But despite the love the two have instantly found together, there is something uneasy about the relationship between the siblings.
While not build as a horror film but rather a more classic Gothic romance, Crimson Peak was always going to be judged against its scares, with all the elements pointing towards many ghoulish but gruesome goings-on. Sadly the inner workings and narratives let the film down, with del Toro and co-writer Matthew Robbins’ script never truly scaring or even startling: it’s never tense, nor does it ever make you feel uneasy, with more interest taken in location and application than substance.
Everything plays somewhat rushed too, with the first two acts of the film moving at such a brisk pace that it rarely has enough time to breathe, to get truly under our skin. Moreover, when some tension does come, what is presented isn’t anything we haven’t become accustomed too over many previous films of this ilk. And ultimately it’s that lack of frights and chills that stop Crimson Peak from soaring away with the horror/thriller of the year crown. Indeed, when the final act is “thrust” upon us, it over does the gore.
Wasikowska is excels in the lead, moving from quiet, affluent new bride to hard-as-nails heroine with grace and charm. Hiddleston and Chastain too shine, with Chastain in particular relishing the chance to play something more playful and without the need for outer space. But despite their energetic performances, the trio can’t save the film sinking under the weight of its lack of true excitement.
Beautifully shot and designed, Crimson Peak is amongst the most beautiful films of this or any year. But it’s lacklustre story and a unthrilling third act ultimately marks it as a somewhat of a disappointment.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Scott Davis is Senior Staff Writer for Flickering Myth and co-host of The Flickering Myth Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=I4qvd6xJlpE
Originally published October 19, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
