Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? OK.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 118 minutes (~2 hours)
“Crimson Peak” is a horror drama set in the Victorian era. It revolves around an aspiring young writer’s romance with a man who harbours many skeletons in his closet. It stars Mia Wasikowska (Edith Cushing), Jessica Chastain (Lucille Sharpe), and Tom Hiddleston (Thomas Sharpe). It is rated NC-16.
“Crimson Peak” is visually interesting and highly stylised, resulting in beautiful visuals that help to set the atmosphere. However, the plot leaves much to be desired, and the direction of the film leads it to being a muddle rather than a blend of genres. It’s not quite horror, but it’s not quite drama either, and there’s no other way to really define what kind of movie it is.
Highlights
Thomas Sharpe is a conflicted but sympathetic character
Tom Hiddleston brings a certain intrigue to the character of Thomas Sharpe, who otherwise seems like a convoluted mishmash of motivations. Despite the many conflicting facets of the character, he still manages to elicit our sympathy through a nuanced performance. It’s difficult to empathise with a character as depraved as Thomas Sharpe is, but Tom Hiddleston pulls it off.
Disturbing imagery on all levels
Apart from the literal gore and the many symbolic items in the movie, such as the blood red clay, the movie also disturbs on an emotional level. The relationships between the characters are laden with subtext, as if there were something unnatural happening. You’re always left with this nagging feeling that something is slightly off about all the circumstances, and this pays off well in the climax.
Letdowns
Tiresome plot
The plot just doesn’t engage. You know what is going to happen next, and the beats are stale and predictable. Sure, there are some plot developments, but they hardly seem original. It just plods along and fulfills the requirements of the story, without being very interesting at all.
Edith is a bland protagonist
Edith is a one-dimensional damsel in distress. She’s perpetually in a state of helplessness, and there’s little to her character other than the fact that she likes to write. In fact, the sole function she serves is to be the victim of all the hauntings and vice that happen around her. The only time she takes initiative is in the climax, where it comes across as a comical endeavour rather than a desperate grab for survival.
Scares that seem half-hearted
While the usual shock techniques are used, the movie spends too much time letting us see exactly what the ghost looks like. It isn’t that scary when seen close up, and the shots linger so long that you end up scrutinising every detail of the ghosts. It’s like the movie wants you to admire the amount of detail put into the special effects, while still expecting you to be frightened of the horrors of the house.
Strange transitions
It’s a minor quibble, but several of the transitions are decidedly strange and antiquated, involving a circular wipe that closes in on a character. It’s used sparingly, but frequently enough that it jars your attention.
“Crimson Peak” feels like it’s just going through the motions, even though those are rather picturesque motions. It feels tired and beautiful at the same time, but doesn’t inspire.
“Crimson Peak” opens 15 October, 2015 (Thursday).
This review was also published on Yahoo.
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