I was enthralled and curious about this movie from the first trailer I saw as it mixes both science fiction and romance with a hint of maybe a French movie underneath because of the song in the second half of the trailer. But, even though I am mixed with director Guillermo Del Toro's work, I was a bit worried because of my expectations. Will I get a great movie or will I get a visual stunning canvas but disappointing narrative? Even though I knew that Del Toro would hand the visual effects with such masterful craftsmanship, it is all about the story. And, this story is an abnormally beautiful portrait of love that you see Del Toro's passion of making this movie in each scene. This is his best movie since his great 2006 movie, Pan's Labyrinth.
A woman named Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins) starts her routine by waking up every morning performing her routine: boiling eggs, taking a bath, masturbating, polishing her shoes and being late, working as a janitor alongside her friend, Zelda (Octavia Spencer). She is a mousy woman that is rendered mute by an injury since she was an infant. Zelda and Eliza both work the night shift as they witness a research facility receiving a new "asset" from South America discovered by the strict, abusive Colonel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon).
Elisa becomes attached to the Asset (Doug Jones), which is an amphibian creature, as she starts sneaking into the enclosure. She talks to the Asset via sign language, feeds him hard-boiled eggs and dances with music through records played on a portable turn table. They get closer to each other over time.
However, Strickland's superior, General Hoyt (Nick Searcy), is interested in its Asset's biology that he wants to take it apart to study for the advancement of space travel. But, one of the center's scientists, Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg), wants to prevent them from harming the creature. Robert is ignored as Elisa was eavesdropping while being denied during the conversation. Elisa enlists the help of closeted next-door neighbor and artist, Giles (Richard Jenkins) to help break the Asset out of the facility the day of the procedure. After having some thought and hearing Elisa out, Giles agrees to help her out.
This movie is mesmerizing from the visuals as Del Toro uses distinct palettes of green in almost every scene to fit the tone of the movie to the creature itself. Even though Andy Serkis is still the MVP of motion-capture animation acting, Doug Jones is remarkable as the creature as he uses his eyes and his emotions to capture the essence of love, isolation and pain. I was very impressed at times in which it looked like the creature was real and that I bought its innocence, especially in a scene where it is eating one of the neighbor's cats which later the neighbor responded with a dark, humorous line. He thought of the cat as food, obviously, but later, cares for them.
Also, the movie is a great love letter to cinema as both Giles' and Elisa's apartments are right above the movie theater as both characters love artistry in both the portrait and cinematic senses. Plus, there is a nice moment where after the monster snuck out after eating one of the cats that the Asset was sitting in the cinema just mesmerized what is going on-screen. Plus, adding to Del Toro's passion to the cinema, there is a magical scene that comes out of left field, no, not that predictable scene where there is a love scene but another scene as how Elisa actually care about the Asset but through song.
The performances are fantastic all around. Sally Hawkins emits a bolt of energy and emotion to convey her perseverance and her love but with wordlessness and sign language. She is quietly funny and she is quietly powerful as she is in love with the creature, it shows confidence in her character until the end. She, along with Doug Jones, are the stars of the movie. Michael Shannon is terrific as the strict colonel who wants to have all the power and confidence even by means threatening, harassing or killing people, while sometimes alluding to the story of Samson and Delilah. Octavia Spencer is great as her friend as she displays some humor and also as she talks for Elisa. Richard Jenkins does not give a predictable performance like most comedies would do for a gay character but a vulnerable and natural presentation of how his character would be present in the 1960s. And, of course, Michael Stuhlbarg is still having a great year with his work with this movie, Call Me By Your Name and The Post.
Del Toro's structure is of rooting interest as you notice the characters being labeled as outcasts in the 1960s achieving the impossible as you have a lonely mute woman, a closeted gay character, a black character and another character of a sort that I cannot reveal to save the creature from harm. The movie becomes a Cold War thriller turned into a sci-fi heist movie turned into an R-rated romantic fairy tale and it is quite fluid in its tonal shifts. The cinematography by Dan Laustsen is quite breathtaking from the opening shot to its last and the score by Alexandre Desplat is quite exceptional as it captures the essence of love, pain and magic in many of its scenes. This movie will get attention during the awards season. The Shape of Water is a free spirit from creating a stunning adult fairy tale come to life thanks to a creative visionary. It is unquestionably one of the best movies of 2017.
****
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