Review of Crimson Peak (2015) by Thequietgamer — 07 May 2016

Part romance, part mystery, and only part horror. Crimson Peak is likely not what you would expect. Those looking for a supernatural fright-fest should look elsewhere. This is more on the dark fairytale side of horror. One with a plot you can really get invested in. One where the real terror comes from the comes from the emotions and desires the characters hide, and less from the deformed specters you'll see onscreen.

The visual flair Guillermo del Toro is known for is once again present. The late 1800's are immaculately recreated and that gothic vibe to the architecture he so always nails is as creepy and delightful as always. The directors penchant for creating unique creature design and disgustingly gorgeous gore set the ghosts and violence apart from other horror films. Simply put, this film is frickin gorgeous.

Perhaps something that could have used a little more refining was del Toro's merging of different genres. Cohesion of the romance and horror isn't really found until it's mystery widens. The leads to an early sense of unevenness. However that's made bearable do to the fantastic performances and sense of curiosity the film instills. Once the characters finally arrive at "Crimson Peak" everything almost immediately comes together. The results are a gripping continuation of a plot that was initially on unstable ground.

Thematically it's amazing. There's a lot going on under it's surface. That's where the real appeal and the real horror comes from. Those who aren't willing to turn their brains on are likely going to find a boring, confusing, and scare-lacking experience. It's amazing to see a horror film that challenges it's audience intellectually like this one does. It's something that happens all too rarely nowadays.

Guillermo del Toro delivers another incredible gothic, fairy tale horror. One that's gorgeous to behold and brought to life by talent all around. However what really makes it succeed is the most surprising part of it all. This is very much a romance movie. A really demented one, but a romance nonetheless. Love is theme and it is what holds all the genres that comprise Crimson Peak together. A love story, a mystery, and a horror flick all brought together by a director who knows how to deliver gothic visual flair. The results are stunning, dark, and all around amazing.