Review: Crimson Peak
If your new home has a giant hole in the roof, you should probably walk away.
Edith (Mia Wasikowska) is an aspiring author who has been seeing ghosts since her mother died when she was eleven. She's beloved by her father, Carter (Jim Beaver) and sought after by a handsome doctor, Alan (Charlie Hunnam) but who really catches her attention is a mysterious English inventor, Thomas Sharpe. (Tom Hiddleston) He's looking for funds to help run a red coal mine his family's home is on, but Carter sees right through him. Edith is smitten. He's the first man to actually compliment her manuscript. And even though he's clearly a step away from going full Lannister with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) Edith marries him and moves with him to his family home, only to discover that it's full of ghosts who have apparently died very violent deaths.
Like every other Guillermo del Toro movie, the production is astonishingly beautiful. The red clay that is seen frequently in the film is always a stark contrast to the rest of the sets and makes everything a little bit creepier. When Edith first enters the Sharpe mansion and we see leaves falling through a hole in the roof, it's stunning to say the least. It will be a damn shame if the film's other missteps deter away Oscar voters when the production team did such an excellent job.
I feel like the film doesn't quite know what its tone was supposed to be. Or rather, del Toro did, and it got edited to shit in post production. Being a ghost movie, there's plenty of shots of said ghosts, but it didn't seem like they were meant to be jump scares. They never really come out of nowhere, there's always hints before they appear, yet the music plays as if it's expecting to make you fly out of your seat. It just felt a little strange.
That's not to say it's a bad movie. It isn't, and it's awesome to see Jessica Chastain play a villain. She's so much fun even though she kills a dog off screen. At least it wasn't graphic. It also features a pretty rad knife fight, (My husband and I were rolling during part of it, even though I'm sure we shouldn't have been.)
The film could've used a bit more polishing, more of Hiddleston's bare ass, and a different score, but it was still a good watch.
And when did Charlie Hunnman get so hot? Seriously, dude is gorgeous without that Sons of Anarchy bullshit.
Recommended: Yes
Grade: B-
Memorable Quote: "Show me where." - Thomas (Tom Hiddleston)
Glad to see your review on this. It's a movie I really want to see. The trailer makes it look so beautiful!! I did hear though that it is not a horror movie even though it's been marketed that way. Which is fine with me. I don't care for horror flicks. Do you ever watch Jeremy Jahns' movie reviews?? I think you would enjoy them. He reviewed this one and I enjoyed listening to it. https://www.youtube.com/user/JeremyJahns
ReplyDeleteAlso.. tonight during Monday Night Football... Star Wars trailer!!
Yaasss Star Wars!! I can't wait.
DeleteI rarely watch video reviews, I always prefer to read them, but I'll have to check that guy out. Thanks for the link.
I definitely will be renting this. I can't handle horror but I'm glad that people said this isn't that scary as I REALLY want to see it and the set pieces look so gorgeous. I do love Hiddles and Chastain, glad to see she got a meaty role here, as a villainess no less, yay!
ReplyDelete"...And when did Charlie Hunnman get so hot?" Ahah, I found him hot in Pacific Rim, so I guess Del Toro knows how to film him properly :D
lol hated Pacific Rim, so I was only familiar with him from people in my office fangirling over Sons of Anarchy, and the biker look never works for me.
DeleteThis one is setting up to be fairly polarizing. I'll see it, but not rushing.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it!
Deleteyeah, the tone was always shifting and I felt like it wasn't quite romance and wasn't quite horror--which made it difficult to love. but you're right, it looked gorgeous and i love the special effects.
ReplyDeleteThe romance was another part that threw me a bit. I get they were trying to make it like the novel Edith was writing, but it's another thing that I wonder if it was always off or if post production through it off?
DeleteI am glad it is not shockingly scary because I am not one for that. It does look beautiful in the trailers I have seen. Not liking that a dog is killed but glad we don;t see it. I saw the opening of John Wick and the bad men killed a puppy beagle and showed the body of the dog and where they dragged it. I cried like a little twit knowing it was not real. I couldn't watch the movie and that scene haunts me
ReplyDeleteOh man, I hated that part in John Wick. In this you don't even see the dog as it's killed. You just see someone grab it, then nothing.
DeleteI think any film could do with a little more of Tom Hiddleston's bare ass, haha! I'm glad you liked this one though, I've been really on the fence about seeing it but I'm going to give it a shot :)
ReplyDelete- Allie
It's got issues but it isn't bad. And yes, more films need Hiddle's ass lol. It wasn't in this enough.
DeleteAwesome that you liked it! It opens here this Friday so unless I fell asleep on my way to the cinema I'm gonna try to catch it :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! (and don't fall asleep) The dog death isn't graphic at all. It's actually more of a wtf moment for Chastain.
DeleteWell it looks gorgeous even if it's hollow.
ReplyDeleteI love CH in all his SOA tattooed glory and will find him less attractive without.
lol, that's the popular opinion at my office too. I'm in the minority.
DeleteHa yeah I don't think they meant that knife fight to be funny but it was! Lots of unintended consequences in this film! Lovely review. I feel the same way. It was decent, but could have been so much more. Chastain was glorious.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in a knife fight, I would totally try to psyche my opponent out like Lucille was. lol
DeleteYou're totally right about the tone being a little all over the place, but despite it's flaws, I actually enjoyed it! Chastain as a villain was very fun, and the acting was great.
ReplyDeleteThe acting was really good, and I especially loved Chastain too. She was a riot.
DeleteIt has been really interesting reading the reviews of this. It sounds like a good solid film but I can't help but feeling that most are slightly disappointed by it. Still hope to see it over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it. It's not as good as it could've been, but definitely not a bad watch. Still worth the theater experience.
DeleteNice review! It was a good watch, even it could have used some polishing. I hope to see it again in theatres 'cause it was just fun.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind seeing that knife fight and Hiddleston's ass on the big screen again.
DeleteLOL, I love this review! Glad you enjoyed the film, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
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