'Crimson Peak' Review

Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak' was a film that suffered from an identity crisis. With trailers and marketing material billing it as a horror film, the film's tone was all over the place.

When aspiring writer, Edith (Mia Wasikowska) meets industrialist Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), she quickly becomes enamored with him. The murder of Mia's father, Carter (Jim Beaver) prompts her to leave America to pursue a life with Thomas in England.

Mia soon discovers the dark secrets surrounding the Sharpe family and their ancestral home, as she is haunted by spirits within the house that seem to be warning her of something. The same warning came to Mia as a child when a spirit warned of to "beware Crimson Peak".

Thomas, in an effort to gain capital for his mining business, is discovered to be conning young, rich women out of their family fortunes. As Mia finally discovers the truth her father learned, Thomas has a change of heart, as he is in love with Mia. Thomas's sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain), is discovered to have killed her own mother as a child and has been engaging in an incestuous relationship with Thomas, killing all of Thomas' marks.

The film, as stated above, suffers from tonal problems. The first act is very light, filled with jovial, turn-of-the-century-style music that has the makings of a grand adventure. After Mia moves to England, the tone shifts to a darker, more brooding feel, as Mia begins investigating the creepy but beautiful Sharpe estate.

I'm not sure quite what Del Toro was going for. The gothic-style beauty is mixed in with an aspect of romance with a hint of horror that made for quite an odd combination.

Despite the schizophrenic tone shifts, the film wasn't terrible. The story in itself was engaging and the scenes were beautifully shot. The costume design for the time period was superb, as well as the set pieces.

Tom Hiddleston's performance was what really sold me on the film. After really only seeing him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Loki, it was refreshing to see what else he was capable of. Jessica Chastain also shined, playing the uber-creepy Lucille.

Checking the box office numbers, the film only managed to make $31 million domestically and $74 million worldwide on a $55 million budget. The critic rating stands at a 71% and 56% on Rotten Tomatoes.