“The Shape of Water” Makes A Splash in Theaters

The Shape of Water has one of the more unusual premises for a plot.

Set in Baltimore in 1962, the movie introduces an unlikely heroine. Eliza is a mute, isolated cleaning lady for a secretive, high-security government laboratory. Her life is changed when she discovers the lab’s classified secret: a scaled creature from South America confined to a water tank. As Eliza develops a unique bond with this creature, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist.

The film’s director and writer Guillermo del Toro has a history of combining fascinating storytelling, extraordinary visuals and immense creativity to films such as Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Crimson Peak.

The Shape of Water continues this trend, producing a movie that has already generated a lot of Oscar buzz.

A major component of this film is the chemistry between Eliza and the amphibian creature as the two forge a strange, romantic bond. While some might see that as a turn off, and I know a few people that did, for me, it worked. (Whether it works for you, however, is hard to say, although 78% of Rotten Tomatoes audiences said they liked the movie.)

The movie has a very dark tone at times, punctuated by moments of extreme brutality. But this is balanced by beautiful visuals and a sense of imagination and wonderment.

Walking out of this film, I found a deeper sense of meaning tied to this film, that it’s not just about romance and love. In fact, pretty much every character in this film suffers a sense of unfulfillment in life and is seeking some kind of want or desire to fill a gap inside of them– something to which many viewers can relate.

The acting is fantastic, especially by British actress Sally Hawkins, who plays Eliza. Her friend and roommate, Giles, (played by Richard Jenkins ) brings a quirky, humorous personality and charm to a movie that shifts quickly and surprisingly well from comedic to dark and dramatic and back again. 

The only negative I have with the film is when it focuses too much on side characters who slow down the pace too much.

This is most definitely a hit or miss film, meaning I can see some people just not being into it at all, while I can see others loving it, like I did. It’s one of those films you just need to experience for yourself. 

For me, The Shape of Water was one of the best films to come in 2017, and I now regret making my top 10 films of 2017 before I saw this. Even if it doesn’t grip you as it gripped me, I highly suggest you give it a try. This is one movie that deserves the money, the Oscars, and all the glory it can hold, because films like The Shape of Water don’t come very often. I give this movie a 9.5/10.

(Or, for something more clearly uplifting, consider The Greatest Showman.)