Crimson Peak

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam

Running Time: 1 hour 59 mins

Rating: 15

Release Date: 16th October, 2015

Not all love stories promise the rosy glow of infatuation, the troubling yet quirky mishaps of dating or the happy-go-lucky journey that follows two peoples meeting of chance. Some love stories are darker. Some have secrets, blood and sorrow sewn into their fabric; leading to the destruction of happiness and the questioning of love’s own intention. This kind of all consuming love can be found within Guillermo del Toro‘s latest frightful fantasy CRIMSON PEAK, starring a trio of brilliance in the form of Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain

When young, hopeful writer Edith (Wasikowska) meets the tall, dark and handsome Thomas Sharp (Hiddleston) the temptation for a mysterious stranger is too much to resist and after a family tragedy, she finds herself turning to him for comfort, becoming his wife and moving to England to take up residency with her new love and his sullen sister, Lucille (Chastain). 

Married life however, is not what Edith had imagined as the ghosts from her own past collide with the horrors of her new home, Allerdale Hall – the crumbling mansion belonging to the Sharpe’s. With the house taking on a presence of its own, Edith delves into a ghostly investigation of the house’s history with Lucille’s watchful eye never faulting. 

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From the trailers and the television spots, one would be forgiven for expecting a high-octane fright fest with the usual injection of jump scares, psychological torment and typical paranormal mystery. You simply won’t find these traditional horror genre conventions within del Toro’s CRIMSON PEAK though as, unlike what the marketing had promised, it follows a traditional narrative that one would find within Gothic literature; a love story and ghost tale blended together with blood and passion. 

While this may come as a disappointment to horror junkies expecting to experience sheer terror on screen, it does not make CRIMSON PEAK any less entertaining or disturbingly enchanting for audiences. Written by both del Toro and Matthew Robbins (DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK), the screenplay follows a traditional tale of good vs evil, life and death battling together and merges the intensity of a love story with the spine tingling curiosity of a ghostly fairy tale. 

While del Toro’s writing skills are never disappointing, his talent truly lies within his visceral imagination and this is certainly apparent within CRIMSON PEAK. The narrative is fairly basic, skirting the lines of predictable, but perfectly enjoyable thanks the exquisite darkness of the films stunning aesthetic. With previous hits like PANS LABYRINTH and HELL BOY showcasing del Toro’s talent for beautifully Gothic  visuals, CRIMSON PEAK is visually fantastic; with each scene so rich in colour and texture that it threatens to spill from the screen in thick velvety waves. 

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The house itself acts as its own character within the narrative and it breathes, remembers and bleeds as if it’s the Sharpe’s third sibling. With the crumbling roof, the pools of blood-like clay that drown the floorboards, its black moth inhabitants and the depths of the murderous basement; del Toro creates a brilliant focal point for the majority of the narrative’s happenings.

The Victorian time frame allows for both the costume and set to completely delve into a fantastical world of horror and darkness with surroundings of rich draping curtains and materials juxtaposing with the delicate beauty of Edith’s own wardrobe; the billowing of her sheer white nightgown floating so gracefully among the darkness of the house’s ghostly corridors. Such a marvellous job del Toro does in whipping up a frenzy of visual eccentricities that ones feels utterly emerged in the Gothic setting; happy to sink in the treacle-like thickness of the depths of his imagination.  

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While the cast for CRIMSON PEAK is small, it packs a mighty punch of talent with Chastain, Hiddleston and Wasikowska making a brilliantly troubling trio. Wasikowska makes a wonderfully endearing Edith, her sweet nature and naivety slowly progressing to suspicion and strength. With her romantic, long blonde hair and creamy white nightgowns, she marches through mansion with purpose and bravery; despite the chilling ghouls that warn her of the dreaded Crimson Peak. 

Hiddleston makes a dashing Thomas Sharp, whose subtle body language and facial expressions allows for the natural progression for traditional character development. It’s interesting to note the difference in gender roles that del Toro has experimented within Hiddleston’s character. Narratives like this thrive off of sex and lust, the red hot heat of sexuality mixed with the bloody violence of the ghostly setting, and all too often do we find the female character’s sexuality being explored and exploited for the sake of vulnerability. Instead del Toro uses Sharp for this role, whether it be through his nakedness or the subtext of sexual manipulation; making for refreshing viewing. 

Acting as a wedge between the new husband and wife is Thomas’ sister Lucille, played brilliantly by Jessica Chastain. Our suspicions towards Lucille are immediate thanks to Chastain’s steely looks of disdain and false, dead smiles. She plays her with a brilliant balance of cool aloofness thrown against moments of petulance; making her a thrilling character to watch. It’s only within the film’s final act that her character takes an almost cartoonish turn. While brilliantly played by Chastain, who throws herself into the wildness of Lucille’s madness, it does take the edge off the mystery behind the narrative and skirts the boarders of hysteria just a little too closely. 

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While some may find disappointment in the misleading marketing for del Toro’s latest feat, it doesn’t take away from the film’s vast successes and the general brilliance of his incredible eye for visual beauty. Each scene is awash with glorious detail, from costume to editing, that it’s so wonderfully easy to find yourself completely at home within this Gothic setting. The central story line of the darker side to love is perfectly enjoyable despite its simplicity, but it’s the injecting of ghoulish horror that makes it superb viewing. 

Verdict

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