Crimson Peak looks gorgeous, but it's probably the weakest Guillermo del Toro film I've seen in a while, not that I'd usually commend his films - Pan's Labyrinth aside - for their plots. Though the trailer sells it as a horror story, it's really a Gothic romance with a supernatural element, and it mostly works as a throwback to that genre. I suppose my problem with it is that the last act falls back on thriller clichés and loses something of its magical qualities. It does hark back to Pan's Labyrinth in that it tries to layer in an ambiguous reality - how much of the story happened and how much was Edith's fiction? - but that puzzle, if you want to call it one, is slight, its impact on the film negligible. Similarly, if this were a true Gothic romance, the ghosts would be figments of the imagination, not real. The film tries to be ambiguous about this, but in the final analysis really isn't. That said, it is beautifully directed and designed, this story of aristocrats clinging to the literalized open wound of their sins as represented by their decaying house. Jane Eyre meets The Fall of the House of Usher, with Tom Hiddleston's butt for good measure.
Loved this. It's an excellent take on Gothic romance in a (sometimes decayed) opulent style. I loved the cinematography and sets in general, but the colour scheme also recalls 19th Century stage melodrama (and through a long-standing colour association, Hitchcock) and early tinted horror films. The whole thing has a very "House of Usher meets Jane Eyre" feel to it (with costumes by Dorian Grey himself, or at least Wilde) (edit: Gah! Beaten to this analogy by two weeks!) — until the ending, where the script by del Toro and Robbins loses steam (along with the former's directing) and the movie reverts back to a very bland thriller. Worth it for the first parts of the plot, though, and the style throughout.
Little disappointing. Takes quite some time to build the story but the story stays weak. Style is nice but i hoped for more magic and horror. By far not as good as Pan's Labyrinth.
It's a modern day Female Gothic with ghostly horror added to it (rather than the supernatural explained in reality which would then make it tick all the Female Gothic boxes like say Rebecca does).
It would of worked better without the ghosts being so 'real' so to speak, but eluded to and then explained away by some mundane shadow or pipe rattles, wind, etc.. Still it is a film I really enjoyed.
Oh the Gothic! Gorgeous architecture, the bathroom oh Glorious and the costumes!! that's about it though... Jessica Chastain is the acting glue that keeps this film together. Tom seems to be embarrassed to be appearing in this film (maybe it's the obvious lack of chemistry between Thomas and Edith) and Mia is like a plank of wood, although better than her father which isn't saying much.
Tom's bum appearance is so obviously a double I'd really rather they hadn't bothered!
When I started getting fed up with the first half, then it got better. Imo the movie delivers the darker (not to be misunderstood as "supernatural") it gets.
I got the impression that the marketing consultants as a result of a weekend on cocaine and Red Bull got to something like, "Does it have creatures? Yes. And blood? Yeah! Then it's a horror film." It's clearly anything but that, although it has some elements. If that why not adding fucking 300 or X-Men to the mix? Just saying.
Watch if you like seeing lots of Victorian scenery, women dressed up in clothes a goth girl would love to have (even the pyjamas), good ol' chivalry, young and good-looking people trying to make a living out of writing, dispensable love affairs, daddy issues, ... incest, etc., that would make even poverty looks fashionable.
"Crimson Peak" is visually overwhelming and ingeniously devised. Although it was a bit of a disappointment for me, it made a crushing, lasting impression on me on the other hand. Not because of the story itself or the cautious use of special effects, but the overall atmosphere and detailed decoration of this Gothic love drama. I assumed that this would be an excellent horror. And that because of the trailer. Normally I try to avoid trailers. But avoiding trailers in a theater is rather difficult. Eagerly I saw that it was about a house that comes to life. I was expecting a baroque-looking Amityville House. The house wasn't disappointing. A Victorian, ghostly ruin full of dark corridors, murky caverns and sinister secrets. The Adams family would be jealous. But apart from some ghostly apparitions it was no more than a obscure drama in which a romance and a diabolical fraud scenario occurred.
Del Toro succeeded in surprising me with "Splice" and especially "Mama". After his intermezzo with "Pacific Rim", he returns to the darker and creepier genre. "Mama" was more frightening as a paranormal horror story than this movie. There are some great horror moments that will give you the chills. The scarce ghostly presences look pretty decent and occasionally it made me think of how the creature in "Mama" was moving around. But this movie's darkness is mainly achieved by the overall Gothic decorations. Both the sets and the costumes contributed to that. A house like a morgue. Deathlike, chilly with those blacks shades and rotting walls full of secrets, while standing on a blood-red surface.
The characters of this Victorian era also look eerily deathlike. An appearance as if an undertaker took care of their makeup. Mia Wasikowska plays Edith Cushing, the fragile daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur who wants to become a writer. Her literary work deals with ghosts. Since her childhood, she has the ability to see ghosts. Her mother, who died of cholera, visited her when she was only 10 years old and warned her for a place called "Crimson Peak". This particular moment is subtly visualized. A chilling moment that contrasts with the other appearances. And then she meets the likable, sophisticated English landowner Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) when he knocks at her father's door with the demand to help financing a modern clay machine. What follows is the predictable romantic development, a sudden tragedy and Edith deliberately seeking solace in the arms of Thomas. And before she knows it she's on her way to England to move into "Allerdale Hall," the family patrimony which is sinking into the red clay, along with her husband Thomas and his sinister sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
"Crimson Peak" has its pros and cons. First there's the atmospheric cinematography. There's a huge Edgar Allan Poe feeling about it. Furthermore there are the beautiful costumes and the detailed decorations. And finally the solid acting and performances. Hiddleston, who reminded me of Coppola's Dracula at a certain moment, and Wasikowska act impressively. But Chastain rises above everyone as the crazy sister. The whole resembles a ride in a haunted house at the fair. Through the pitch-black darkness interspersed with deep colors, where you expect heart crippling shock effects anytime. And just like this haunted house at the fancy fair, the conclusion afterwards is that it wasn't so bad as expected. It wasn't boring, but it wasn't very scary either. The biggest mistake they made was having people believe "Crimson Peak" is a sort of horror. Ultimately, it's just a sentimental costume drama with a paranormal aspect. But believe me, it's masterfully portrayed!
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Comments 1 - 15 of 19
Siskoid
Crimson Peak looks gorgeous, but it's probably the weakest Guillermo del Toro film I've seen in a while, not that I'd usually commend his films - Pan's Labyrinth aside - for their plots. Though the trailer sells it as a horror story, it's really a Gothic romance with a supernatural element, and it mostly works as a throwback to that genre. I suppose my problem with it is that the last act falls back on thriller clichés and loses something of its magical qualities. It does hark back to Pan's Labyrinth in that it tries to layer in an ambiguous reality - how much of the story happened and how much was Edith's fiction? - but that puzzle, if you want to call it one, is slight, its impact on the film negligible. Similarly, if this were a true Gothic romance, the ghosts would be figments of the imagination, not real. The film tries to be ambiguous about this, but in the final analysis really isn't. That said, it is beautifully directed and designed, this story of aristocrats clinging to the literalized open wound of their sins as represented by their decaying house. Jane Eyre meets The Fall of the House of Usher, with Tom Hiddleston's butt for good measure.Boei
Style over substance. And even the style was not impressive. Very weak plot, simple and boring. Nothing special...jcoatney
If you're familiar with Bluebeard, The Bloody Chamber, Rebecca, Jane Eyre, etc., then you know where the film is going to go.However that didn't prevent me from enjoying it. Jessica Chastain really makes the movie. 7/10
TalkingElvish
Without breaking embargo I can say that this film has the Best Costume Oscar in the bag.Larkspire
Loved this. It's an excellent take on Gothic romance in a (sometimes decayed) opulent style. I loved the cinematography and sets in general, but the colour scheme also recalls 19th Century stage melodrama (and through a long-standing colour association, Hitchcock) and early tinted horror films. The whole thing has a very "House of Usher meets Jane Eyre" feel to it (with costumes by Dorian Grey himself, or at least Wilde) (edit: Gah! Beaten to this analogy by two weeks!) — until the ending, where the script by del Toro and Robbins loses steam (along with the former's directing) and the movie reverts back to a very bland thriller. Worth it for the first parts of the plot, though, and the style throughout.hula
Little disappointing. Takes quite some time to build the story but the story stays weak. Style is nice but i hoped for more magic and horror. By far not as good as Pan's Labyrinth.soundontap
It's a modern day Female Gothic with ghostly horror added to it (rather than the supernatural explained in reality which would then make it tick all the Female Gothic boxes like say Rebecca does).It would of worked better without the ghosts being so 'real' so to speak, but eluded to and then explained away by some mundane shadow or pipe rattles, wind, etc.. Still it is a film I really enjoyed.
Paravail
"It's not a ghost story, it's a story with ghosts in it."Warrison
beautiful to look at for sure, but very slow in the first 2/3rds of the movie. Afte that it speeds up and everythings builds to a great climax.dippygirl78
Oh the Gothic! Gorgeous architecture, the bathroom oh Glorious and the costumes!! that's about it though... Jessica Chastain is the acting glue that keeps this film together. Tom seems to be embarrassed to be appearing in this film (maybe it's the obvious lack of chemistry between Thomas and Edith) and Mia is like a plank of wood, although better than her father which isn't saying much.Tom's bum appearance is so obviously a double I'd really rather they hadn't bothered!
der32284
I feel that this is a film that will gain as time goes on. For now we compare it to Del Toro's other films and maybe it's a step behind.demagogo
When I started getting fed up with the first half, then it got better. Imo the movie delivers the darker (not to be misunderstood as "supernatural") it gets.I got the impression that the marketing consultants as a result of a weekend on cocaine and Red Bull got to something like, "Does it have creatures? Yes. And blood? Yeah! Then it's a horror film." It's clearly anything but that, although it has some elements. If that why not adding fucking 300 or X-Men to the mix? Just saying.
Watch if you like seeing lots of Victorian scenery, women dressed up in clothes a goth girl would love to have (even the pyjamas), good ol' chivalry, young and good-looking people trying to make a living out of writing, dispensable love affairs, daddy issues, ... incest, etc., that would make even poverty looks fashionable.
Mucsi Attila
Yes, yes, butmoviebeth
what a waste of time...ikkegoemikke
"Ghosts are real. This I know.""Crimson Peak" is visually overwhelming and ingeniously devised. Although it was a bit of a disappointment for me, it made a crushing, lasting impression on me on the other hand. Not because of the story itself or the cautious use of special effects, but the overall atmosphere and detailed decoration of this Gothic love drama. I assumed that this would be an excellent horror. And that because of the trailer. Normally I try to avoid trailers. But avoiding trailers in a theater is rather difficult. Eagerly I saw that it was about a house that comes to life. I was expecting a baroque-looking Amityville House. The house wasn't disappointing. A Victorian, ghostly ruin full of dark corridors, murky caverns and sinister secrets. The Adams family would be jealous. But apart from some ghostly apparitions it was no more than a obscure drama in which a romance and a diabolical fraud scenario occurred.
Del Toro succeeded in surprising me with "Splice" and especially "Mama". After his intermezzo with "Pacific Rim", he returns to the darker and creepier genre. "Mama" was more frightening as a paranormal horror story than this movie. There are some great horror moments that will give you the chills. The scarce ghostly presences look pretty decent and occasionally it made me think of how the creature in "Mama" was moving around. But this movie's darkness is mainly achieved by the overall Gothic decorations. Both the sets and the costumes contributed to that. A house like a morgue. Deathlike, chilly with those blacks shades and rotting walls full of secrets, while standing on a blood-red surface.
The characters of this Victorian era also look eerily deathlike. An appearance as if an undertaker took care of their makeup. Mia Wasikowska plays Edith Cushing, the fragile daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur who wants to become a writer. Her literary work deals with ghosts. Since her childhood, she has the ability to see ghosts. Her mother, who died of cholera, visited her when she was only 10 years old and warned her for a place called "Crimson Peak". This particular moment is subtly visualized. A chilling moment that contrasts with the other appearances. And then she meets the likable, sophisticated English landowner Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) when he knocks at her father's door with the demand to help financing a modern clay machine. What follows is the predictable romantic development, a sudden tragedy and Edith deliberately seeking solace in the arms of Thomas. And before she knows it she's on her way to England to move into "Allerdale Hall," the family patrimony which is sinking into the red clay, along with her husband Thomas and his sinister sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
"Crimson Peak" has its pros and cons. First there's the atmospheric cinematography. There's a huge Edgar Allan Poe feeling about it. Furthermore there are the beautiful costumes and the detailed decorations. And finally the solid acting and performances. Hiddleston, who reminded me of Coppola's Dracula at a certain moment, and Wasikowska act impressively. But Chastain rises above everyone as the crazy sister. The whole resembles a ride in a haunted house at the fair. Through the pitch-black darkness interspersed with deep colors, where you expect heart crippling shock effects anytime. And just like this haunted house at the fancy fair, the conclusion afterwards is that it wasn't so bad as expected. It wasn't boring, but it wasn't very scary either. The biggest mistake they made was having people believe "Crimson Peak" is a sort of horror. Ultimately, it's just a sentimental costume drama with a paranormal aspect. But believe me, it's masterfully portrayed!
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