Crimson Peak (2015)

"Crimson Peak" stars Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, and Charlie Hunnam. Released on October 16, 2015, the film is about a young woman who discovers a terrifying secret inside her lover's home.

The film is directed by Guillermo Del Toro, who also directed films such as Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, and Pacific Rim. So far this year, many horror films have failed to impress certain critics such as myself despite the fact that they were pretty scary. A few horror films that I found decent or good was It Follows, Unfriended, and Insidious Chapter 3. Then we have this film, which seems to show some promise based on the marketing alone. After watching the film, it wasn't what I was expected from the trailers, but I was impressed on how Del Toro handled it.

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The cast delivered some good performances, mostly from Wasikowska and Hiddleston. They were both impressive from start to finish. What's really weird about Hiddleston is that his hair style looks exactly like Loki's. I mean, when he first appeared on screen, I immediately called him Loki. True story. Anyway, the film does contain some horror elements, but it's actually a romantic ghost story that takes place in the late 19th Century. I was a bit worried that it might mislead some fans of horror films, but the way Del Toro handled it worked really well, especially with its cinematography, its decent script, and of course, its creepy atmosphere. The costume designs were spot on as it fits the tone and timeline of the film. The horror elements were directed flawlessly by Del Toro. Most horror films use jump scares to scare its audience, but Del Toro knows how to use them, along with its haunting atmosphere, at the proper moment, especially when the ghosts appear to haunt the main character. The visuals in the film were magnificent. It's actually pretty terrifying to see how realistic the ghostly skeletons were.

The pacing is mostly consistent with its running time, although it does feel slow during certain parts of the film. The story is a little predictable at times, but the mystery behind Crimson Peak was so engaging that it's hard for me to notice it throughout the film.
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Overall, while far from being a horror classic, "Crimson Peak" offers a unique blend of romance, mystery, and horror to make this a chilling good time at the movies. It also shows that there's more to a horror film than just cheap jump scares. If you're a fan of Del Toro's filmography or creepy films in general, then this is worth seeing.

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