“Crimson Peak” is a gothic romance film directed by Guillermo del Toro and released in 2015. The movie is set in the late 19th century and revolves around the life of an aspiring writer named Edith Cushing, who is swept off her feet by a handsome and mysterious Englishman, Sir Thomas Sharpe. Edith is an American heiress who lives with her father, a wealthy businessman, in Buffalo, New York.
The movie opens with a young Edith being visited by her mother’s ghost, who warns her of “Crimson Peak.” Edith’s mother died when she was young, and she has since developed a fascination with ghosts and the supernatural. This fascination leads her to cross paths with Sir Thomas Sharpe, who has come to Buffalo to seek funding for his clay-mining invention. Despite her father’s disapproval, Edith is immediately drawn to Sir Thomas and the two embark on a whirlwind romance.
After a tragic incident that leads to Edith’s father’s death, she marries Sir Thomas and moves to his dilapidated estate, Allerdale Hall, in England. The estate is in a state of disrepair and is sinking into the red clay upon which it is built. Edith soon realizes that the house is haunted by the ghosts of its past inhabitants, who are trying to warn her about the danger she is in.
The first half of the movie is slow-paced, setting up the characters and their relationships. There is a palpable tension between Edith and Sir Thomas’s sister, Lucille, who is fiercely protective of her brother and has a hidden agenda of her own. Lucille is played by Jessica Chastain, who delivers a powerful performance as a villain with a tragic past.
The second half of the movie picks up the pace, as Edith starts to uncover the secrets of Allerdale Hall and the Sharpe family. The movie takes a gruesome turn as we learn about the family’s history and the gruesome murders that have taken place in the house. The haunting visuals and the eerie atmosphere of the movie create a sense of dread that only intensifies as the story unfolds.
One of the standout aspects of “Crimson Peak” is its stunning production design. The movie’s art direction, set design, and costumes are exquisite and help to transport the viewer to a bygone era. The red clay that seeps into the house creates a surreal and otherworldly atmosphere that is both beautiful and unsettling.
The movie also features some standout performances. Mia Wasikowska is excellent as Edith, bringing a sense of vulnerability and strength to her character. Tom Hiddleston delivers a nuanced performance as Sir Thomas, bringing depth and complexity to a character who could have easily been a one-dimensional villain. Jessica Chastain steals the show as Lucille, delivering a chilling performance that is both menacing and tragic.
Despite its strengths, “Crimson Peak” is not without its flaws. The pacing of the movie is uneven, with the first half feeling slow and the second half feeling rushed. The movie’s marketing also did it a disservice, as it was marketed as a horror movie when it is more of a gothic romance with horror elements. Some viewers may be disappointed by the lack of scares, as the movie is more focused on atmosphere and character development than jump scares.
Another issue with the movie is its lack of diversity. The main characters are all white, and the movie takes place in a world that is exclusively white. This lack of diversity is disappointing, especially given the movie’s strong female characters. It would have been refreshing to see more diversity in the movie’s cast and world-building.
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