Review of Crimson Peak (2015) by Michael C — 28 Mar 2016

I love Gothic Horror movies, and this one delivers in Hearts and Spades (especially the last scene).

Director Guillermo del Toro awesomely delves deep into his love of red (Hellboy), and heaps it on in a platter so full you want to gag on it's beauty.

The art direction, cinimatography, and especially set design was brilliant, as well as the "action scenes" and especially the "scary scenes".

The acting was generally excelent, given the material and dialogue the acters had to work with, although I felt Jessica Chastian was miscast as a weak woman after her.

Recent "alpha woman" in "Zero Dark Thirty", "Interstellar", and "The Martian", but I understand that she probably doesn't want to get type cast.

However...the plot was simplistic almost to the point of idiocy. Everything was so heavily foreshadowed, and just blatantly obvious.

At points I just felt like just get on with it, I know what's going to happen. This was the mising element of the film, a twist ending, which every clasic mystery needs.

I won't spoil the plot much, but...

REALLY? : Lucille's father's death wasn't investigated as a murder? Especially with the PI and all his info, the father being so important, and the method of death.

REALLY? : The intelligent, liberated woman Licille falls for a cheap con?

REALLY? : Con artists can't think of something better than leterally digging up dirt on their family land?

REALLY? : Noone was surprised by the brother/sister conspiracy..and the rest.

But it was a real awesome movie with a great look and Grand Guignol horror scenes! Watch it, and Kudos to Guillermo del Toro on another great film!