Saturday, January 13, 2018

The Shape of Water (2017) - 10 stars out of 10

The Shape of Water (2017) - 10 stars out of 10


"The Shape of Water" will be one of the most unique Oscar contenders this year.  Even though its sci-fi plot revolves around a sea creature of sorts, it fits all of the criteria for the critically acclaimed dramas that the Academy loves.  In the same spirit as "Pan's Labyrinth," Guillermo del Toro realistically transports a monster into a historical setting.  This time, he has chosen Cold War America for the setting and elected to make the monster a part of the real world instead of sending the characters to a mystical place where monsters might exist.  Del Toro does an amazing job of incorporating the Cold War and the Space Race into the story while keeping the plot centralized on the relationship between the lead character and the monster.  I feel like he took some inspiration from the horror film “Splice” (of which he was an Executive Producer) but this story focuses more on the historical context of the events than the science.  The ending seems predictable, almost inevitable, but it manages to surprise us and keep us wondering after the credits have finished.  It is safe to assume that that this film will receive Oscar nominations in categories like Original Screenplay, Production Design, and Director because of the creativity behind this story.  The story is matched in creativity by the score by Alexandre Desplat.  Its lush, romantic themes combine with the whimsy of a glass harp and a whistley instrument with a fast, oscillating vibrato (possibly a theremin?).  The effect is otherworldly and familiar all at the same time, which is perfect for this sci-fi-creature-believably-existing-in-Cold-War-Baltimore story.  Another criterion for Oscar nominations is incredible acting and this film has no shortage of impressive moments.  Some of the most memorable performances in cinema history have come when a talented actor plays a character with a disability (Dustin Hoffman in “Rain Man,” Daniel Day-Lewis in “My Left Foot”) and this is Sally Hawkins’ turn.  This portrayal of a mute required her to tell every emotion of the story through her eyes and body language.  It is almost as if we can sense her character speaking aloud through her nonverbal communication.  She will definitely be an Oscar nominee, as will Octavia Spencer.  The tone of this film is rather odd (is it a romantic drama, is it a political thriller, is it a sci-fi film?) but Spencer fulfills her typical responsibility of providing comic relief, along with some excellent acting moments.  I would also expect Richard Jenkins to receive a nomination as his interpretation of Giles adds depth to the character lineup.  I wouldn’t count out Michael Shannon either, with a much stronger showing than his nominated performance in “Nocturnal Animals” last year.  He is completely detestable, even though his character is technically the good guy within the story.  There is so much right with this film but it simply has too much sexual content.  Some of it is relevant but too graphic.  Other sequences have nothing to do with the plot and seem to be there solely to make it "more R-rated."  The art of implication in these matters seems to be dead, which is a shame because nudity isn't always necessary to tell a particular part of a story.  “The Shape of Water” is one of the best films of 2017 but I can’t help thinking that the story would have been just as good in a PG-13 form (by eliminating minimal unnecessary content) that could have appealed to a broader audience.

[Pictured: Guillermo del Toro's vision for the sea monster is out of this world]