Crimson Peak Review

If Tom Hiddleston and Guillermo del Toro aren’t 2015’s geek culture dream team then there is no such thing. The man who brings Loki to life and the brain behind Pacific Rim get to pair up for del Toro’s Crimson Peak this weekend. It’s a modernized classic horror tale reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy, plastered in del Toro’s vibrant imagination, all the while showcasing just how elegant Hiddleston’s abilities are. The talented duo, however, do not tell a compelling story in their ghostly effort.

Crimson Peak introduces one of the most sadly written characters in its first act: Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska). The young aspiring author gets shutdown for reasons she presumes stem from her being a woman, shaping her into quite the feminist. She even wants to write her story on a typewriter so that publishers cannot see the words were written by a female hand. And falling in love – forget about it -especially after her lack of interest in hearing her father emphasize how okay it is for women to fall in love. The problem is that the strong female she was portrayed as falls in love with a manipulative and suspicious Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) without any bit of hesitation or question, tearing down everything her character originally stood for. Before we know it, they’re married.

Thomas Sharpe, however, carries not only the mysteriously scheming love story but also much of the film. When Hiddleston is not on screen, ghosts and ghouls do an almost sufficient job of keeping Crimson Peak from feeling boring but aren’t enough for much of the film leading to the closing revelations. That’s because Hiddleston is so remarkably talented and charming. He brings his enigmatic dreamer of a character an amount of suave which make it almost understandable for no one to question his obvious involvement in a horrible murder.

Aside from Hiddleston, it’s del Toro who owns the show. Is there any other director in this century capable of thinking up the bizarre, colorful, and disturbing world’s del Toro is? Even if there is, none of them spit out their vision onto the screen with such fantastic cinematography, color schemes, and flat-out talent.

The world del Toro creates has its own rules. Ghosts exist and houses breathe. This is all made believable by the incredible set designs and costumes to match. No movie this year, except for maybe Mad Max: Fury Road, has been able to create a world so different from the reality in which we reside, yet hurl audiences into believing every inch is real.

If not for the vivid dimension created by del Toro, Crimson Peak would be mostly a bust. The mystery builds too long with no characters to pull for at any point but the end. Never does Crimson Peak scare rather than creep with shrieking ghouls or shock with sudden and graphic violence. At its best, Crimson Peak makes audiences cringe in their chairs and at times, look away from the screen. But isn’t that what horror films deem as success? Plus, what’s a film like this without a few bad choices from a main character, such as choosing to stay in an estate where ghosts with axes in their heads chase you down hallways?

Though Crimson Peak has its flaws and story elements which will need to be overlooked on the way to its chaotic finale, it is still very unique in the world it offers. Del Toro and Matthew Robbins crafted a story which will be remembered for just how ruthless and pretty it is in its presentation rather than its content. The magical imagination of del Toro teamed with the impressively sophisticated Tom Hiddleston is enough to at least find a way to enjoy Crimson Peak. The modern day jab at a Shakespearean type tragedy is creepy, not scary, and exists in a world of its own.

Bottom Line: Crimson Peak is visually stunning and offers sophisticated performances but the tragic story won’t be remembered for its content as much as its presentation. 6.3/10