Crimson Peak

Crimson Peak

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

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

The Story:
"Ghosts are real, that much I know. I've seen them all my life..."
Thus opens the tale of Edith Cushling (Mia Wasikowska), a young woman living at the turn of the century who lost her mother at a young age, but it wasn't the last time she saw her.  Her ghost warns young Edith of Crimson Peak, and for a girl of ten years of age, she has no idea what that means.

Fourteen years later, Edith meets the mysterious Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), an English aristocrat who came to America to receive funding for an invention.  The two start off rocky but a relationship begins to form, and after a family tragedy, Edith marries Thomas and he relocates her to England to live in his palatial estate - Allerdale Hall - he inherited with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).

Upon arriving at the sprawling, yet run-down, castle, Edith begins seeing more ghosts that warn her of her current situation, and as Tom and Lucille begin acting more and more mysterious, Edith begins uncovering the truth about her husband, his sister, and the deaths that lie within Allerdale Hall. 

The Synopsis:
Part Gothic romance, part Gothic horror, director Guillermo del Toro returns to his Spanish roots to direct a flowing, magical, and downright terrifying tale of forbidden love, with the strong acting talents of Wasikowska, Hiddleston and especially Chastain as the anchor. 

American audiences know del Toro as the director of some of the most innovative action films of the recent decades, including the "Hellboy" series, "Blade II," and the criminally underrated "Pacific Rim."  However, international audiences know del Toro for his special blend of drama and horror, directing such masterpieces as "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Devil's Backbone."  Finally, he graces American audiences to his prolific style of storytelling and directing with "Crimson Peak."

The previews tell a purely horror story, but there's much more intrinsic value to this fascinating set piece than just jump scares.  At the center of the film is the love story of Edith Cushling and Thomas Sharpe, a naive young woman and a sophisticated, enigmatic inventor with a dark past.  The romance is that of Jane Eyre classic, a whirlwind courtship which leads to marriage and a life happily ever after.

Well, not quite happily ever after.  Not only does Thomas have hidden...skeletons...in his closet, but so does Lucille, the ever-icy sister who gives new meaning to the term "cold shoulder."  As Edith moves into their towering castle mansion, she begins to learn the secrets the siblings would kill to keep.

As far as storyline goes, del Toro is no M. Night Shyamalan.  There's no hidden twists, no surprises.  The story is as bare bones as you can get, and it's something you've seen before, but not as elegant and flowing as "Crimson Peak" offers.  You're sucked into the story from the first frame, captivated by the cinematography, story, and acting, and are finally released from the vice-like grip it holds on you when the credits start rolling - but it's not something you'll soon forget.

As I said earlier, the actors hold the foundation of this tale on their strong shoulders.  Mia Wasikowska portrays young Edith as both naive and surprisingly intelligent as she deals with family tragedy, a new husband, a cold sister-in-law, and a sprawling archaic mansion on the verge of collapse.  Tom "Loki" Hiddleston gives his most stunning performance here as the debonair Thomas, showcasing his natural British talent.  Jessica Chastain, as the ever-meddling Lucille, steals the show however as she plays the darkest character, hell bent on keeping things as they were, and serving as Thomas' devil on his shoulder.

On top of the acting, there's the downright awe-inspiring set piece of the mansion itself.  Built solely for this film, it's the biggest character of them all, and through its dark and narrow corridors the terrors of the mansion come to brilliant life.

It's a shame the Academy Awards hardly ever recognize a "horror" movie, as "Crimson Peak" would be a shoe-in for winning Best Cinematography and Costume Design.  The elegance of the time period - along with the Gothic architecture - transports you to a time of elegant ballroom soirees, as well as the spooky bumps in the night.  Beautifully elegant from start to finish.

The Summary:
Part Gothic romance, part Gothic horror, Guillermo del Toro treats his American audiences to his brilliance in mixing drama and horror in equal measure.

The Score: A