Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver
Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) runs from a family tragedy into the arms of Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), and returns with him to his house, where he lives with his sister Lucille (Chastain). But the houses walls are bleeding and the house is alive with secrets.
Whatever you may think of Del Toro, there’s no denying that his films are always visually interesting and Crimson Peak is no exception. He plays with color in a really interesting way. Edith is a picture of innocence and she enters a house that has a stark contrast between the white world outside and the dark interior. The walls are literally bleeding as red clay seeps through the floorboards and the walls, and it gives the setting an evocative atmosphere.
Now I think this film has been marketed as a horror film but that’s not strictly true. There is some meta-commentary in the film as Edith is working on a ghost story that has to include love, and this film is a love story that happens to include ghosts. It’s more of a thriller than anything, and there’s plenty of suspense and tension. Speaking of the ghosts, they’re spindly and unnatural and eerie, just as they should be.
I found the plot interesting and the actors all did good jobs, especially Chastain as Lucille. It’s an absorbing gothic tale with amazing visuals, and I haven’t even mentioned the use of sound yet! Del Toro uses all the tools at his disposal to create a fantastic experience.
