Crimson Peak

Crimson Peak is a 2015 American gothic romance film that beautifully combines horror, mystery, and romance into one alluring blend. Director Guillermo del Toro masterfully crafted this film with intriguing themes of love, betrayal, and supernatural occurrences. The main cast includes Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and Tom Hiddleston, who enact their roles with precision and elegance.

At the heart of Crimson Peak is Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), a young, aspiring author who is haunted by her past, living in a society where ladies aren't expected to scribble ghost stories. Edith isn't an average Victorian-era lady, characterized by her curiosity and refusal to fit into the high-society mould. Her interest in the supernatural isn't just for her stories—she's been visited by ghostly apparitions in her past, including the spirit of her deceased mother. The apparitions serve as a forewarning from the otherworldly sphere, alerting her about Crimson Peak.

The arrival of a charming and mysterious British aristocrat, Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), in her Buffalo, New York hometown, changes the course of her life. He sweeps Edith off her feet, not with materialistic fascination, but with his shared ardour for the supernatural and the unusual. The aristocrat’s machinations are a mystery, as is his sister Lucille’s (Jessica Chastain) cold demeanour.

After a series of tragic incidents, Edith marries Thomas and moves with him to Allerdale Hall, a mansion perched atop a clay mine in a rural and remote region of England. The mansion is fondly referred to by the locals as “Crimson Peak” because of the deep red clay’s penchant for staining the winter snow blood-red. The enigmatic mansion, screaming decay, and elegantly decaying architecture, plays a crucial character in this narrative, its intimidating presence sometimes outweighing the very characters inhabiting it. The Sharpe siblings' somber home exudes menace, holding secrets within its rotting walls that gradually start unraveling as the story progresses. Nowhere does the film better show off del Toro’s genius than in his detailed crafting of Allerdale Hall.

The horror aspect of Crimson Peak gathers momentum as the young author's gruesome hallucinations intensify, the supernatural manifestations she sees taking on a nightmarish quality. As the ghosts of Allerdale Hall communicate through these apparitions, Edith soon realizes something is amiss with the Sharpe siblings and their inheritance.

Crimson Peak is a pleasure to the eyes, with the elaborate sets and detailed costumes transporting audiences straight into the 19th century. The intense color palette of deep reds, greens, and blues conveys a constant undercurrent of impending doom. The intricate design elements and the atmospheric soundtrack blend seamlessly to create an eerie ambiance filled with suspense and anxiety.

Despite the horror elements, Crimson Peak is, in essence, a gothic romance. The relationship dynamics, particularly the one between Edith and Thomas, is a core aspect of the plot. There are layers to their relationship and the film gradually peels off the veneer of courtly love to expose a more complex, and darker, reality.

In terms of performances, Mia Wasikowska convincingly portrays the innocent yet brave Edith, caught in the middle of familial secrets and supernatural occurrences. Tom Hiddleston, known for his charismatic performances, perfectly personifies the suave yet enigmatic Thomas Sharpe, adding nuances to his complex character. Jessica Chastain delivers a power-packed performance, her portrayal of the cold and callous Lucille Sharpe sending chills down the spine.

Crimson Peak is more than just a conventional horror flick. The film serves as an ode to the classic gothic literature of the 19th century, piquing viewers' curiosity with its blend of romance, creepiness, mystery, and allegorical horror. The narrative unfolds with the structure of a timeless novel, and its characters are as haunted by their pasts as they are by the genuine ghosts that populate the screen.

Overall, the film is an intense, atmospheric, and visually stunning work of art by Guillermo del Toro. With Crimson Peak, the director manages to create a love story imbued with gothic horror, delivering a visually ravishing cinematic experience.