First Impressions | The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro is a director whose work I’ve always enjoyed.  Although I need to revisit Mimic, Blade II and his Hellboy Duology are among the better comic book adaptations.  His had made some artsy films, but until now I hadn’t watched any of them.  The Shape of Water is artsy, but showcases del Toro’s love of classic monsters and practical suits.

                Set in the early 60’s, the film revolves around Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute cleaning woman who works the night shift at a government facility.  An outsider, her only friends are Zelda (Octavia Spencer), a co-worker who translates sign for her, and her starving artist neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins).  Life seems normal, but one night a strange water-filled tube is brought into one of the facilities lab.  The tube contains a humanoid creature (Doug Jones) which was captured in the Amazon by a military team lead by Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon).  Curiosity awakes within Elisa, and she attempts to communicate with him.  Building slowly, communication turns to friendship, and friendship blossoms into romance.

                At its core, The Shape of Water essentially is an unofficial reimagining of The Creature From The Black Lagoon.  In that film, the creature becomes infatuated with the female lead and attempts to kidnap her.  He’s injured and presumed dead, but returns and is captured in the sequel.  Shape builds off these concepts, adding in elements of Beauty & the Beast as the infatuation becomes mutual.  Like the Disney version, our lovers are both outsiders, one because of his appearance and the other because of an attribute others might find off-putting (Belle is well-read while Elisa is mute).  This mutual perspective gives the two-common ground, allowing them to slowly bond.  Elisa identifies with the Creature, feeling his pain and seeing the Human in the Inhuman.

                The special effects department delivered when it comes to the monster effects.  The suit is amazing, remonstrant of both The Gillman and Abe Sapien.  While it appears to have some minor CGI touchups—mainly around the eyes—I can’t remember the last time I saw a practical suit executed this well; Hellboy II would be my guess.  It only looked off during the dream dance, but considering the fantastical nature of the scene, it could be intentional.  Speaking of which, that scene caught me off guard in a positive way.  At first I thought a plot twist was coming, but when the scene shifted and music began to play, I knew it was in her mind.  It comes out of nowhere, but I had a smile on my face the entire time.

                While always great, del Toro’s direction was top tier.  His love for the material and genre shine through.  No camera angle or shot length felt out of place, the tech elements are handled with care, and he coerced great performances from his main cast.  The director is considered a film’s author according to auteur theory.  With all the elements executed greatly, I’m not surprised del Toro won the Golden Globe.  It’s well deserved, as is the Oscar nomination that followed.  I don’t expect him to win, but it’s enough to be nominated. 

                The main cast delivered excellent performances.  Sally Hawkins had the difficult task of conveying her character purely through body language and facial expressions, but the Oscar nominee succeeded.  Without uttering a single word, the audience understands her thoughts and motivations, and we root for her.  Richard Jenkins is great as her artistic neighbor, reacting how anyone in their right mind would when thrust into this situation by a friend.  He’s also closeted, which plays a part in his subplot.  Without giving spoilers, it shapes how he reacts to situations involving the Civil Rights movement—he’s pro—and it ultimately why he agrees to aid The Creature.  Octavia Spender had me rolling with laughter.  Her facial expressions and delivery were well-timed.  Future comic relief actors should take notes from this performance.  From what I’ve gathered, her character is comparable to one she played in The Help, so much so that it feels like she was transplanted.  If so, it’s a minor example of typecasting, but one that works to the film’s advantage.

                Michael Shannon is detestable.  Although we understand his motivation and the stress that comes with his occupation, he is irredeemable.  It’d be one thing if he was purely the antagonist because of his job, as there’d be room for partial likeability.  In place of that, Strickland is also sexist.  It’s never stated blatantly, but it’s heavily implied through his actions and words (ex: not wanting his wife to make love sounds and his rape implication towards Elisa).  He’s a man who always needs to be in control, and by the third act things have spiraled far from that.  It burns at Strickland, driving him over the edge.  A nice bit of subtly is that two of his fingers—reattached following an early fight with The Creature—turn black as the plot progresses.  As his world unravels and he rots, so do his fingers.  I knew he would rip them off before the climax, and even with that knowledge I cringed when it happened.  Thank you sound department; you did your job properly.   

Doug Jones plays the Creature, delivering another excellent suit performance.  He is to practical suits what Andy Serkis is to motion capture.  Since he had no dialogue, his entire performance is based on body language and animal vocalizations.  While a handicap, like his co-star Jones manages to convey an effective performance, one that pulls at the audience’s emotions.  He is literally a fish out of water, in a world that he doesn’t understand and would never accept him, and we sympathize.

The film contains a subplot related to the Cold War.  The military’s plans for The Creature connect to their goal of beating the Soviets.  The Red’s aim to acquire the creature, or eliminate it if they cannot.  Without giving spoilers, this conflict tugs at one of the characters.  In the end, he must choose between his love for Science and his love for the Motherland.

All around, The Shape of Water is a well-crafted film.  The acting, direction, cinematography and romantic score are top tier, and it’s a feast for the senses, one I cannot wait to revisit once it hits Blu-ray.  While I normally am not in favor of it, if this film sweeps the Oscars I won’t mind.  The film is that great.