In the nearly 100 years of the Oscars, fantasy and other genre films haven’t had the strongest track record when it comes to winning above-the-line awards. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the obvious exception to that rule, but there are others that have broken through. A notable example came in the late 2010s, when Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water became an awards season darling, taking home Best Picture and Best Director. As cinephiles catch up on the latest happenings of the current Oscar season, del Toro’s big winner is finding new life on streaming.
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According to FlixPatrol, which measures the popularity of titles on various streaming services, The Shape of Water is currently the No. 6 movie on HBO Max, ahead of Robin Hood and MacGruber.
Why The Shape of Water Is a Big Hit on HBO Max
In addition to being a new addition to HBO Max this month, there are a few reasons why The Shape of Water is doing so well on the streaming service. Thanks to Frankenstein (which is streaming on Netflix), del Toro has once again found himself in the Oscar conversation this year. After watching Frankenstein, which has done very well on Netflix since it premiered, viewers might have decided to go on a del Toro kick and see which of his other films are available to stream. Fittingly, the one that won him an Oscar is easily accessible.
Even if del Toro wasn’t up for more Oscars this year, The Shape of Water likely would have been a hit on HBO Max. The film itself is strong enough that it’s worth checking out any time of year. The Shape of Water finds del Toro operating at the peak of his powers, telling a poignant if unusual love story between the mute janitor Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and the “fish man” (Doug Jones) that’s brought to the lab she works at. Del Toro has always specialized at crafting emotional narratives about outsiders trying to find their place in the world, and there’s arguably no finer example than this film. The material sounds ridiculous on paper, but it’s executed with so much passion and tenderness that viewers can’t help but become invested.
With del Toro at the helm, The Shape of Water‘s production values are top notch, transporting viewers back to the 1960s. Outside of the visuals, the fantastic performances from the cast make the film easy to recommend. Hawkins does a phenomenal job as Elisa. Even without the use of her voice, she’s able to deliver a powerful turn, conveying so much emotion in her facial expressions and body language. Michael Shannon also shines as Richard Strickland, the film’s main villain. He’s an intimidating presence who demands the viewer’s attention whenever he is on screen. Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer earned Oscar nominations for their work in the film, so The Shape of Water is well-acted across the board — to say nothing of the tremendous job Jones did humanizing the fish creature.
The Shape of Water came out on top in what was a loaded Best Picture field in 2017, beating modern classics such as Get Out, Lady Bird, Dunkirk, and more. When looking at the competition, some may have found the Academy’s decision curious, but The Shape of Water was deserving of the accolades it received. It’s a charming, lovely tale that puts a fresh spin on a classic genre through del Toro’s unique lens. The Shape of Water is certainly one of the most unique Best Picture winners of all time, and it’s great that the Academy was willing to embrace it despite all of the dark fantasy elements.
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