The Shape of Water review

THE SHAPE OF WATER:

GUILLERMO DEL TORO RETURNS TO HIS VISUALLY IMAGINATIVE AND EMOTIONAL ROOTS!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Sally Hawkins forms an unlikely relationship in The Shape of Water

            Director, Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim) has done it again with his latest film, The Shape of Water. Not only is it a beautifully crafted film that balances between fantasy and harsh reality, but it’s quite possibly his best film since Pan’s Labyrinth, and that’s not a stretch.

            I’ve enjoyed most of his work before and after Pan’s Labyrinth from Blade II to both Hellboy movies to Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak but none of them quite captured the emotion, intensity, and sense of wonder that Pan’s Labyrinth offered. Until this movie came along which the best way I can describe it is imagine a hybrid of Pan’s Labyrinth, Arrival, The Little Mermaid, and Edward Scissorhands, pretty much that’s the movie, at least from my perspective.

            Set in Cold War-era America 1962 in a high-security government laboratory, the film follows a lonely mute girl named Elisa (Sally Hawkins-Happy-Go-Lucky, An Education, Blue Jasmine) trapped in a life of isolation as a night janitor with literally no voice and only the support of her co-worker, Zelda (Octavia Spencer-The Help, Fruitvale Station, Hidden Figures) cheering her up. However, her life changes forever when she discovers a top-secret experiment, a creature known as the Asset (Doug Jones-Hellboy, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Ouija: Origin of Evil) that’s been brought into the lab for body harvesting.

            Fascinated by the creature, Elisa starts spending time with it, and much like herself the creature doesn’t speak either and understands sign language. So naturally a bond is made and she starts feeding it eggs and plays music for it, at first it seems pleasant despite being in such a gloomy-looking location.

            That is until Elisa discovers the reason the Asset is there in the first place and that it’s been abused by the cruel Colonel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon-Premium Rush, Man of Steel, Midnight Special), and must help the creature escape the lab. With the help of a closeted commercial artist named Giles (Richard Jenkins-Flirting with Disaster, The Visitor, The Cabin in the Woods) she will do whatever it takes to get the creature away from Strickland and bring it back to where it came from.

            The film also stars Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man, Steve Jobs, Doctor Strange) as Dr. Robert Hoffstetler, Lauren Lee Smith (Mutant X, Trick ‘r Treat, The Life) as Elaine Strickland, Nick Searcy (Cast Away, Moneyball, Archer) as General Hoyt, and David Hewlett (Stargate: Atlantis, Splice, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) as Fleming.

            Overall, The Shape of Water is a beautiful, thrilling, and very poignant film and a movie that encompasses everything that makes Guillermo del Toro a great filmmaker. The production design is impressive, the story feels like another grown-up fairy tale that follows in Pan’s Labyrinth’s footsteps, the chemistry between Elisa and the creature is amazing and done with virtually no dialogue, and Sally Hawkins’ performance as Elisa in general is Oscar worthy in my opinion, she nails the role flawlessly.

Despite looking like a more monstrous version of Abe Sapien from the Hellboy movies (and is even played by the same actor), the design of the creature is impressive and it’s made even more impressive by not resorting to CGI, practical and makeup is the way to go. Every time the creature is on-screen with Hawkins and they’re either listening to music together or just having a conversation with sign language, I’m hooked and the chemistry they have is on par with Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon or Elliot and E.T. from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, those are the scenes where the movie truly shines and they’re executed brilliantly.

Michael Shannon continues to ham it up as the antagonist and I’m still debating whether or not I can take him seriously. Nevertheless, he’s always entertaining to watch even if his scenes aren’t quite as appealing as the scenes with Hawkins and the creature.

Of course, the side characters are solid too especially Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer, while I don’t think it’s their best work they both give it their all and make an impression. Jenkins gets a good laugh in once in a while and even shows the dramatic and heartfelt side while Spencer’s chemistry with Hawkins is just as strong as with the Asset.

The Shape of Water is a satisfying return to classic Guillermo del Toro filmmaking and will hopefully make a sweep at the Oscars. This, Disaster Artist, Lady Bird, Coco, and Star Wars are my go-to films to watch this holiday season, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.