Review: The Shape of Water

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Written by: Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg

Rating: [4.5/5]

Freaks come in all shapes and sizes in our society as decided by those who have the power. This not only gets reserved for something seen as a monster but individuals perceived as such because of how they look or a disability they possess. The Shape of Water seeks to build this connection through an unorthodox love story that may turn away some but contains beautiful effervescence that goes straight for the heart in such elegant ways. 

Working at a secret government facility as a custodian, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) communicates through sign language as she’s mute. When an amphibian man-creature gets transported to the room she cleans, Elisa begins to build a connection with him as she must try to save it from the wishes of the United States government. 

No one loves his creatues quite like Guillermo del Toro. An infectious love that leads to creating such beautifully lavish and loving stories about acceptance and love in a way no other person can. This has served as his passion throughout his entire filmmaking career and it all comes to its zenith in regard to appreciation with this feature. While not his very best he undoubtedly crafts something so filled with love and care despite a very scary time in American history. Its indescribable character permeates every scene and shines even in its darkest moments, which makes it such an unforgettable experience. 

As evidenced through Elisa and her neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins) this film begins with a sense of isolation and loneliness amongst those identified as outcasts. You have Elisa as a mute and Giles as a homosexual in a time with very little acceptance. This isolation causes these supposed freaks of the time to come together to build bonds of their own and it serves as the source and reason that Elisa eventually falls in love with the amphibian man. As she eloquently puts in the feature, if that amphibian man cannot speak and is viewed as a freak, how does that make it any different than her?

All that being said, some might be weirded out by the idea of Elisa falling in love with this creature and it reciprocating right back to her. Admittedly, del Toro could have taken more effort to make the amphibian man act a bit less animalistic in order to not give some the inclination of this being a relationship of bestiality. However, the film does enough to differentiate this amphibian man as something more than an animal, a human, even giving into the idea of it existing as a god walking among us. None of it takes away from the beauty of what occurs here, but undoubtedly some will be turned off by the idea of this romance. 

In the middle of this romance sits the rest of the plot as the amphibian man gives the appearance of serving as an advantage for the United States military against the Soviets at a time when paranoia has never been more prevalent amongst agencies and the American people. You have the amphibian man’s handler, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) who wants nothing more than to put it down, especially after some of the events transpiring between them. This introduced some espionage to the plot along with some duplicitousness in how these characters navigate amongst each other and work towards their own interests amongst a larger conflict happening on a global scale. 

Flowing throughout this feature is the absolutely delightful score done by Alexandre Desplat. Deservedly taking home yet another Academy Award for his work here, his titular theme serves as a permanent member of my music playlist due to the elegance even giving this French feeling through the use of an accordion to such gorgeous results. Desplat creates such a unique theme that plays in several scenes getting right at the heart of the beauty taking place here, especially with scenes focused on Elisa. Definitely an all-timer on his part within a discography of several iconic scores already. 

With great actors coming from every corner of the feature, I loved everything Sally Hawkins did in this film as Elisa. Having to utilize sign language and facial expressions to communicate rather than her voice, presents a different challenge for her take on how to portray a role. She does a marvelous job in portraying the love emanating from Elisa when she speaks and interacts with the amphibian man, but also the fear of losing him when concrete threats appear. She enters the story as the star of the show and definitely does not let anyone else try to enter the fray and take her crown. However, she does receive some excellent work by trusted character actors Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, and Michael Stuhlbarg who each deliver in just the right ways to serve as a complement to Elisa’s story. 

Not everyone will understand or vibe with what The Shape of Water wants to evoke and display, but undoubtedly pieces together a beautiful love story like no other. It provides a space for these freaks to gather together and form a bond they cannot build with others due to the ostracization they receive. They build something wonderful as it all culminates into a very moving story with plenty of shocks, an incredibly illustrious production design, an elegant score, impeccable makeup work, and the direction from one of the most impactful and eloquent directors we have amongst us today in Guillermo del Toro.