The Horror Show
The Shape of Water
by Guillermo Del Toro
There are a few universal truths in this world. The sun is hot, water is wet, aliens are watching our every move, and Guillermo Del Toro knows how to make a goddamn motion picture. The Mexican filmmaker has proven himself time and again to be the exact type of person I want to see making movies. He cares about what he does, he isn't afraid to stray from the norm, and he has the talent to bring his special brand of ideas to fruition with phenomenal success. He's delved into the mainstream and has taken the helm on projects that a general audience would recognize such as Hellboy 1+2 and Blade II. I love what he has done with these previously-existing concepts, putting his special stamp on them. However, his “From the Ground Up” films such as Pan's Labyrinthis where he really shines. The man has a unique brand of creativity and he understands what works for him.
It’s because of all of this that I’d been anxiously waiting to see his latest film The Shape of Water. I could tell from the first trailer that this was a case of Del Toro being perfect in his element and ready to show the film world what he could do once again. Would this be another prime example of the director's brilliance or a rare misstep? Put simply, the film was just as fantastic as I was hoping. Of course it was that good.
Taking place in the 1960's, The Shape of Water follows the strange situation that a woman named Elisa (Sally Hawkins) finds herself in at work one day. Elisa is mute but has carved a life out for herself just the same. Her best friend is a kind artist in her building named Giles (Richard Jenkins) who seems just as lonely as she is. Elisa has a job working in a secretive lab, the kind of place where government officials are involved and it's best not to ask questions. At work, Elisa has another friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer) who serves as an interpreter for her.
One day, Elisa's attention is drawn to a strange creature that has been taken into the laboratory for study. It's an aquatic being of some sort and as a custodian, Elisa finds herself with the means to explore her curiosities. Making things more difficult is the arrival of an aggressive new security personnel (Michael Shannon) who is just as callous as he is dangerous. What follows is a dark fairy tale of love and fear, loss and connection. I won't go any further into the beats of the film as I wouldn't feel right doing so. What I will say, though, is that the film is perfectly paced, balanced, and knows exactly what it is.
The Shape of Water pulls off the impressive task of touching upon what was going on in the 1960's without ever feeling convoluted or removed from the central story. The subjects of homophobia, racism, blatant sexual harassment, and America's tension with the Soviets are all a perfect fit. Elisa, Zelda, and Giles (along with others, but I won't spoil anything) represent some of the last people you would want to be in the 1960's: the combination of female, black, and gay, some of the most aggressively discriminated against types of people, especially in such a time. But they rise and show the strength they have. The strength to have true humanity, to dare and look for their happiness in a world that seems to be against them. The film isn't preachy in the slightest, but acknowledges the struggles of the time and allows them to be an aspect of the film as they should be. The fact that Elisa is mute adds even more obstacles to her plight, once again, especially given the ignorance of the times, but it will also serve as her greatest weapon.
The creature sharing the center stage with Elisa is nothing short of spectacular. Played by Del Toro’s muse Doug Jones, the “monster” proves himself to be every bit as caring and emotional, calculated and beautiful, as any human can be. Doug Jones and Guillermo Del Toro both understand what I feel Boris Karloff and James Whale understood with precision: You don't need words or a human appearance to relay human emotion. Maybe “human” isn't even a word we should use with such praise. I don't mean that in a cynical way, but sometimes a non-human entity can encapsulate what true humanity is supposed to represent more-so than some actual humans out there. In a world where more and more films are relying 100% on CGI for creature effects, it's nice to see examples of a real performance being added to the mix as I feel it's essential.
Obviously, I won't say how it all ends, but for what it's worth I will say it's a perfect ending as far as I'm concerned. The whole time I kept wondering how the hell Del Toro was going to end the film in a way that was fitting. I knew he was going to pull it off, I just had no idea how. At the climax, I simply smiled and shook my head in a “you did it” fashion, “you pulled it off, you wonderful talent.”
The performances are all wonderful. I've always thought award ceremonies for the arts are a totally self-defeating concept and devoid of any actual purpose other than magazine buzz, but if Sally Hawkins wins every acting award there is, I will fully support that decision. I'm not just giving her credit for doing a mostly silent performance as a general rule; she truly gives one of the most expressive, emotionally honest performances I have ever seen. At the beginning I first noted with happiness that Del Toro decided not to go with whoever the hottest big-name actress was a the time, a move I knew he wouldn't do anyway. By the end I felt that she was one of the most beautiful people I had ever seen. Her spirit, her bravery, her wonderful quirk. I was previously unfamiliar with Sally Hawkins so I only know the character. And as far as I'm concerned, she was the character.
Richard Jenkins is, as expected, also fantastic. Ever the versatile actor, he plays a totally original character and makes me believe the performance at every turn. Giles is at first a light, playful person but he is revealed to have just as many layers as any other. Octavia Spencer is always a likable face to see and she uses her abilities in this film to great success. She is a funny character at times, but also shows herself to be not only loyal, but stronger than many of the others who like to think of themselves as tough. Michael Shannon is someone I always like to see as well. He has certainly carved out a niche for himself as the unstable, intimidating character, but to spin it as him always being the same would be a great disservice to a great actor. When I see him in this, I don't see Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire. I don't see him as any of his sinister characters other than the very real threat he is playing in The Shape of Water. Yes, he's scary at times and gives that look of serious suspicion, but it perfectly fits into what the role is. He is also insecure, he is frustrated. Even in his terribleness, he is just as human as anyone else. As previously stated, “human” isn't always good and in that way, he is very much that label and that takes a skilled actor to pull off.
I can't praise The Shape of Water enough, but I also won't go into any more. It's a visceral, haunting, riveting experience that everyone should jump headfirst into themselves. I will say that it's a prime example of what happens when a visionary artist does their thing and employs the best people for every role. This extends to the music, cinematography, decoration, everything. Anytime I heap a film with praise I worry about overselling and possibly lessening the viewing experience of someone else, but in this case I can't see how anyone who is already a fan of Del Toro, or just found the movie to be an interesting concept, would be disappointed.
P.J. Griffin, HMS
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