[Review] The Shape Of Water (8.5/10)

The Shape Of Water is Guillermo del Toro's best writing and directing thus far. That Oscar could very well be his.

There were so many great things about this movie. First was the story and its characters. The setup was great, jumping into the life of Sally Hawkins and her best friend in the office Octavia Spencer, her work and what her company did, her relationship with her neighbour Richard Jenkins, and then the antagonist of Michael Shannon.

Hawkins was wonderful, as she made her audience felt her yearnings and desires and all that she thought she lacked. But at the same time, her strength and courage were also qualities that really stood out as the story unfolded.

But her performance paled in comparison with Jenkins' as his work here was something that I have never seen from him before, and every scene that he was in there was just a sense of wonder in me at how he portrayed this character.

Shannon as the big bad was a typical Shannon's role. But because its del Toro, there was a new level of evil edge in this character. That monologue he gave Hawkins and Spencer in the men's toilet about washing hands, spoke volumes as to who his character was.

And the dialogue of this movie felt so complete in the sense that there was no fat to trim, when it was funny it was funny and when it was dramatic it was dramatic.

Doug Jones' work once again was on point. And the design of the creature looked a bit too much like Abe from the Hellboy series, so much so that this could be his origin story.

Michael Stuhlbarg's quiet performance here was also another standout. The score by Alexandre Desplat was a beautiful marriage between the music and what was onscreen.

The only section that I really did not like was the dream sequence with Hawkins' character. I did not see that as necessary, not even the slightest; and I have to really question why was it included in here. That would be that "fat to trim" in this movie.

Also certain plot points felt too convenient like how Hawkins could felt so at ease with the creature when her first encounter with him had been a violent one with the chewing off of fingers. Although this could be explained once the movie ended, but I still thought it could have been done slightly differently.

This was a very beautiful fantasy story that felt right up there in del Toro's wheelhouse. Definitely his best work since Pan's Labyrinth.