Crimson Peak

That Guillermo did not stick with just production this time can only be understood as a wish to double his earnings. Crimson Peak’s run-of-the-mill, unoriginal subject matter is barely worthy of a 90-minute runtime. In addition, there is no tension and he tries to achieve the wow effect by using old-school tricks. The set designs, however, are really beautiful, the cast is superb and the occasional splattering of blood is satisfactory. The potential of the twisted romance that emerges from this offered more possibilities, but Guillermo would have had to resign himself to satisfying a broad audience and strike a more perverted chord. It’s a shame that the maker of such distinctive and captivating cinematic worlds stooped this low. (10/17/2015)

Gothic horror movie should, by its very nature, contain elements of romance, as well as Gothic novel should contain elements of horror. There is no doubt about that. But this ration must be well-balanced, whether in favor of horror movie with elements of romance or the other way around. Which is exactly where Toro fails. He took half-and-half approach and so it's neither a dog nor a cat, but a kind of hybrid covering two genres, which does not work very well in either department and the ending of "intense snowy Kill Bill final" is not appropriate in terms of genre rules. Audio-visuals are highlighted too much and it lacks a decent story line (it would hardly be enough for a short story), atmosphere, mystery, pace or just a hint of tension between the characters. If del Toro wanted to make the Gothic subgenre more interesting for today's youth, he did not pick his battle very wisely. If his intention was a traditional movie of this subgenre, then he failed terribly. If he tried to pay tribute to Hammer’s horror movies, he did exactly the opposite in a very disrespectful way. In any case, we must admit that the aforementioned audio-visual side of things is really impressive (except for the horrible CGI nonsense...I mean, ghosts and I do not think that in the gothic genre movie it needs to be so obvious) and along with the cast that does their best, is the only thing that makes it bearable. (10/15/2015)

A visually stunning film, where some scenes completely captivated me, and I couldn't believe that something like that could be filmed. And yet the film bears Guillermo's signature. It's beautiful in that regard, but the story didn't really grab me - it's okay in terms of acting, but not great. It’s visually stunning, but otherwise, it just doesn't hit the mark. That’s a shame. (12/28/2015)

Gothic horror films are more a thing of the past (1960s-70s), I believe most people who went to Crimson Peak expecting a classic ghost story similar to Insidious are disappointed. Crimson Peak is different from classic horror films in just about every way. It has breathtakingly polished visuals with gorgeous costumes, a solid cast with very good acting performances, and a decent story that doesn't lack a twist. As for the atmosphere, it works especially in the beautiful remote mansion, where I personally wouldn't spend a day, and I was pleasantly surprised by the brutality, Guillermo del Toro doesn't pull punches here. These are the plus points, but what is a surprising downside is that not a single scare worked for me, which is a shame, as the looks of the ghost all bloodied up were welcomed with open arms (I mentally screamed in joy that it was no pale black-haired woman), and the slower pace of the narrative, especially in the middle section, is also a shame. All in all, a tribute to the old Gothic horror films with excellent sequences, but not very functional horror-wise. A place in this year's top ten, however, is not yet certain for Crimson Peak. Story 7.5/10, Atmosphere 8/10, Gore 6/10, Visuals 10/10, Action 4/10, Scares 3/10, Entertainment 6/10. 75% (10/18/2015)

Even after all these years, a rewatch of Crimson Peak didn't disappoint — it still holds its grip on me. It's an intriguing blend of supernatural horror and thriller with a psychopathic serial killer. The creators put effort into crafting a disturbing atmosphere without relying solely on cheap scares. Most importantly, the story was engaging and coherent. The only real downside for me was Mia Wasikowska. She's just not my type, leaving me to ponder why I found her appealing in this role. There must be some intangible quality about her, but I'll never quite know for sure. The casting for both the villains and heroes was spot on, their characters felt lifelike, and everything was written and filmed quite well. So, even on a second viewing, I remained satisfied and didn't feel the need to lower my original rating. / Lesson learned: If you believe in ghosts, maybe steer clear of England. (06/04/2022)