Directed by:
Guillermo del ToroCinematography:
Dan LaustsenComposer:
Fernando VelázquezCast:
Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Burn Gorman, Leslie Hope, Doug Jones, Jonathan Hyde, Bruce Gray, Emily Coutts (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
When her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red clay: a place filled with secrets that will haunt her forever. Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak. (Universal Pictures US)
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Reviews (9)
Guillermo del Toro can create an atmosphere and a beautiful scenery; you can’t deny that with any of his movies. But the flow of storytelling can sometimes be an issue and it doesn’t let his movies be perfect experiences.For the first 50 minutes, I thought I’d die of the worst possible movie boredom. It wasn’t until Mia found out that she was on Crimson Peak that it all started to get good. Especially since the atmosphere of the house itself began to show. I must admit, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen two completely different movie halves. While the first half of the movie is awfully boring, the second half is what makes the movie worth watching.
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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.
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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%
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Del Toro's cold visual exhibition lacks any narrative innovation or moment of surprise. If it was a random, budding filmmaker, we would no doubt be impressed by the arrangement and depth of the shots or the disturbing visual symbolism, but in the case of the renowned Guillermo, I find it reprehensible that he has wasted his formidable talent on a subject so generic and accessible. Moreover, the crossover between historical realism and ghost horror doesn't work 100%, and in a story where the main evil is represented by humans and their greed, the ghostly interludes feel slightly out of place, even though they are the ones where del Toro vehemently displays his unique imagery. Next time, master, be wiser when choosing a project. 65%
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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.
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