Guillermo del Toro’s monster period piece gets it right.
That Creature from the Black Lagoon is Guillermo del Toro’s favorite monster movie is no surprise after seeing the loving hand with which he made his own creature feature, The Shape of Water.
More than anything, though, this film is a love story, one the world cannot abide but that its participants can’t help but enact. In the face of violence, abandonment, and worse, the players take the stage with an emotional ferocity not normally found in genre fare.
It all starts with Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute custodian at a government facility. When a new “asset” is brought in, she’s immediately drawn to this man-like creature in a tank. It’s not just that he seems to understand her when so much of society doesn’t; the pair share an animal magnetism from the start.
(Note: While this Amphibian Man and Hellboy’s Abe Sapien are both played by Doug Jones, there’s no connection between the two. Sorry, superfans.)
The bad guy here is played perfectly by Michael Shannon. His Richard is all menace and repulsive charm. He’s an All-American, set to do the right thing while still being evil at every turn. It’s his insistence that the asset be “vivisected” instead of studied and observed that leads to the daring rescue that occupies the movies central action sequence.
Elisa has two people in her life that keep her grounded. Her co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) is a walking, talking warning siren, but still supports Elisa in the midst of everything. Her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) is a troubled but loving man who gets caught up in the action in ways he never would have wished. These two (along with Shannon) should get serious supporting awards consideration.
Set in 1962, del Toro has crafted a look that is part comic book, part European art-house film. The entire affair is dark, with shadows overtaking every surface. The apartments of Elisa and Giles sit above a grand movie theater, with quarter-circle windows and shabby wallpaper. Every piece is carefully constructed.
For all of its gorgeous nature, The Shape of Water is a visceral movie. It’s heavy with sexuality (though never gratuitous) while still having del Toro’s signature shocking moments. Shannon has a cringe-inducing scene with an infected body part that will stay with the audience long after they’ve left the theater. The sex scenes, both solo and paired, are lusty but real. This isn’t your parents’ monster movie.
The Shape of Water combines familiar elements in surprising ways. There’s a Cold War subplot that seems a tad extraneous, but it does nothing to take away from what del Toro has built here. This isn’t Pacific Rim or even one of his Spanish horror flicks. It’s something new, with action and love and pathos spilling out of every frame.
The Shape of Water is in theaters in the U.S. as of December 8, 2017.