Review of The Shape of Water (2017) by Lainey — 28 Feb 2018

This movie is a beautiful paradox --- a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I adore Guillermo del Toro's work, but it appears in this case as he is writer/story creator/director, that his angers have melted his own fabric.

Parts of this movie are really mind-blowingly beautiful ---.

The intro (wow what imagery!!!) whether-or-not you think it works, the lady's complexity, her buddy, and the monster's skin and movements ( and breathing in that suit... which doesn't look like a suit to me ), the art throughout the movie in drawings // cinematography // set dressing ... leaves me breathless, the acting and care to echo the look of the original monster... Or to be more exact: Doug Jones acting as the monster, Sally Hawkins soulful mute, Octavia Spencer's perfectly timed humor, Michael Stuhlbarg's subtle inner conflictions ... Richard Jenkins, well, I just love watching his acting ....

.. the love. Two people - beings - getting together because they get each other.

BUT : and it's a big but :

[ spoiler alert ].

Del Toro writes-in such a livid attack on America ( the US ) and the American Military, along with questionable points of view -- RE: the sex scenes on mental desire for rape (and actual minutes of burning film with its play-reenactment), and through-out the film specifically outlining the American military and all white Americans as cruel, unjust, and selfish, to the tenth power/squared/cubed... !!!!!!

Yes - there was sexism, racism, and a whole bunch of bad stuff ( mafia... ) - there still is in this world.

Google "racism in Mexico". Try "white Irish treated as apes in America 1800s".

Even Malcolm X noted racism is the black-white issue in the US - but religion was the culprit of overseas (reference Alex Haley's "Malcolm X").

But it was highlighted as the *only* way of life for these 2-3 people - it was the gay man, the mute girl, and the black community, against the selfish white American Military and ignorant white American store keeper.

This is a fable, "the creature from the black lagoon" -- not : the creature vs selfish white United States.

It just slowly twists and twists that point --- and leaves me with a what-the-heck-is-this-film-about bad taste after viewing.

So gorgeous -- and so .... eeeech ....

Ummmm.... what does that have to do with the creature from the lagoon?

And okay -- you want to deal with the racism at the time -- show it in all its colors (pun intended) : the Irish being treated as apes and not given jobs, the "whites" who did stand up for equality and weren't gay or mute, the Military people that fought for our country to be what it is: free, so we can then duke out the further freedoms of the present day for women's rights, men's rights, animal/land/building rights and you name it....

HE is allowed to do films here -- because it's America !!!

Del Toro has a lot of anger spatting out in this film, in one sided ways.

I wish there were ways to click and say "here here!!" to Rex Reed's review... I saw the movie and a dear friend and I can totally understand what he is talking about. Unfortunately he might be so overwhelmed with its problems (been there myself if that is the case) that some points which make this movie a miss are not noted as well as some points which make it a win, perhaps under Reed's shock and questioning of how so many adore.

I can see why people love this -- what a gorgeous film... What a beautiful joining and complexity of mutual love.

But a political hatred spews forth.. the wolf in sheep's clothing, melting a gem.