The fact that this film won Best Picture at the Oscars definitely surprises me. I was certain that Three Billboards or Darkest Hour would take it, but I am also beyond excited that this film won instead. The Shape of Water is a charming and romantic film that brings together all of the best talents of Guillermo del Toro: design, storytelling, and general aesthetic. This movie has definitely made its way on to my Top 10 list, and gives me hope for the future of fantasy cinema, proving that there are still original ideas out there.
This film is so indescribably beautiful throughout, as the design and special effects stood out the most. Guillermo del Toro's creative mind is absolutely unmatched, and I am very happy to see his work finally getting recognized. The monsters in his movies are always visual spectacles and are impressive like none other. In this film, the Amphibian Man was both adorable and terrifying at the same time. The combination of makeup and special effects worked very well for this character, as well as the sets and production design of the film. This movie definitely earned the Production Design award, as the locations and aesthetic were spectacular. The setting of pre-Cold War America in the late '50s worked amazingly for the story and provided enough innocence for the characters but also enough intrigue for them all to develop very well. I also adored the representation throughout this film. Elisa (played by Sally Hawkins) being mute, her best friend Giles (played by Richard Jenkins) being gay, and Zelda (played by Octavia Spencer) each had their own individual characteristic that made them excellently stand out among the white, heteronormative society that they were forced to work and live in. These performers were undoubtedly the shining aspects of this film. Michael Shannon's character Strickland was also portrayed amazingly, and he brought a lot of life and background to the character to add that extra level of creepiness.
While the special effects and design were beyond amazing, the writing was just as strong. Despite it being just a bit too predictable, my favorite part about the writing is that it was able to convey so much emotion through a lack of dialogue and limited sign language. The most emotional scenes in this film revolved around the romance between Elisa and the Fish Man, and their nearly silent performances were astounding. The other relationships that I loved in this film were those of Elisa to Zelda and Giles. Their friendships helped Elisa through so much, and all of them were developed very well. The tone in this film, while maintaining its beauty, was balanced very well. The grotesque parts with Strickland where he was torturing the Soviet scientist and all of his antagonistic behavior was so well contrasted to the lovely romance that was occurring. The scenes where he dragged the scientist through the hole in his face and when he pulled off his own fingers were so disturbing, but it also aided his character excellently. One thing that I was afraid of in the final scene was that they would make Elisa talk. Since the Amphibian Man is technically a god that can heal anything, I thought that they would take the easy route and have him heal Elisa's voice box. I am very glad that they did not go this route, and instead provided the audience with one of the most delightful closing shots of a movie ever.
The editing in this film, even though it was nominated, was very generic. The cinematography, however, was very original, as it explored a lot of different ways of showing small spaces while keeping the audience engaged. One of the best technical parts of this movie was the transitions between many of the scenes. Almost all of them were somehow water-based and aided by the camera. It was gorgeous to see, and that aesthetic worked very well. The only part of this film that was a bit peculiar was the musical number in black and white. I understand that this was a daydream of Elisa's (one in which her and the Fish Man could talk, sing, and dance like "normal" humans), but it did not fit well at all. As lovely and well-choreographed as it was, I feel that breaking out in song and dance was not the smartest choice for the tone that had already been established.
The Shape of Water is a gorgeously written and executed film in all aspects. From the design of the world and the Fish Man to the engaging story and characters, this movie wildly surpassed my expectations. I would completely recommend this charming movie to any fan of fantasy or love stories, as it proves to be one of the best in both of those genres.
My Rating: ★★★★★
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