Review of Crimson Peak (2015) by Stefan G — 02 Nov 2015

In a climate of viscerally gory horror films made purely for shock value, it's very rare to see a film that embodies a more subtle approach to horror, and it's even rarer to see a film of such visual and atmospheric splendour.

Crimson Peak is very much an old-fashioned gothic horror tale woven onto the silver screen. Indeed, this is essentially Guillermo del Toro's love letter to gothic horror literature, complete with the period setting and characters, romance with sinister overtones, and the grand yet decaying ancestral house in an ominously beautiful landscape.

Of course, the first quarter of the film tends to meander a bit with the inevitable frivolity that comes with the film's setting, but as the film progresses and the plot thickens, the context behind everything that came at the beginning soon becomes clear.

The intricately woven story of ghosts, romance and murder is formed so well that by the end, you're left hungry for more. The film also shows some classy performances from a charming cast of characters, and the best of these performances came from Tom Hiddleston, whose character exudes a mysterious mix of romantic charm, sinister motive, and a guilt-riddled conscience.

He's the kind of character who feels chained down by his family name, primarily because to preserve it, he has to do awful things that, as evidenced later on in the film, he doesn't appear to care much about, and this multi-faceted character is ultimately the film's real star.

As one could expect from Guillermo del Toro's work, the film's visuals are fantastic, and it gets even better as the film's setting slowly moves towards winter. On the whole, the amazing set-pieces, locations, and chilling atmosphere make up the film's crown jewels, and it is especially the film's atmosphere that sets the tone for a quite bone-chilling experience.

Though it's no classic, it's a real tour de force, and it's certainly a cut above the other horror films in the market.