Guillermo del Toro has merged both his blockbuster enthusiasm and intimate sensibilities on a grand scale and the result happens to be his best English language film to date. An early scene perfectly sets the tone of what's to come as Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), wanting to leave her mark in literature like her idol Mary Shelley, explains to a reluctant publisher the difference between a ghost story and a story that happens to have a ghost in it. Del Toro is channeling classic gothic literature and cinema that covers the spectrum of paying tribute to all of the greats, from Daphne du Maurier and Edgar Allan Poe to Jack Clayton and Mario Bava.
Against her father's better judgement, Edith finds herself being swept off her feet by Sir Thomas Sharpe, portrayed with elegance and ferocity by the remarkably talented Tom Hiddleston. As Edith travels with Sir Thomas and his baleful sister Lady Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) to a new life in northern England, we are greeted to the star attraction: Allerdale Hall, home to Thomas and Lucille. Not since the Overlook Hotel has a haunted attraction in cinema been so dazzling and full of personality, so hypnotic and beautiful. Thanks to Thomas E. Sanders' breathtaking production design and Dan Laustsen's lush cinematography, Allerdale Hall is a place I want to get lost in for hours to study every inch of fabric and stone that's steeped in ghostly atmosphere and projects a sense of rich history and lore.
The screenplay by del Toro and Matthew Robbins is straight to the point and contains few surprises you won't see a mile away—it's passionate gritty pulp and it works. I have a couple minor complaints in regards to the chemistry between Wasikowska and Hiddleston, which was much stronger when they worked together previously. This is not a criticism of their individual performances, but there are moments when things seem a bit unbalanced. Also, I really don't understand what del Toro sees in Charlie Hunnam, who is badly miscast here, but thankfully his amount of screen time doesn't allow him to be a diminishing factor in the overall picture.
I'm excited and happy to see Guillermo del Toro find a rhythm that compliments his personal side that we've seen in his early work on such an extravagant scale, he appears to be stepping away from the Hollywood franchise game and concentrating on intimate stories that compliment his strengths as a visionary and I absolutely can't wait to see what he makes next. Crimson Peak is an astounding work of the macabre that's haunting, sexy, thrilling, and heartbreaking.
Movie Score: 4.5/5
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