The Shape Of Water

The Shape Of Water leading the Oscar nominations was most likely a surprise to some on announcement. An old fashioned, romantic love story disguised as fantasy beating off competition from more prescient, ‘worthy’, political pieces seemed incongruous.

Perhaps what the world needs though is a classic love story for the ages, which is exactly what Guillermo Del Toro has given us here in what is quite comfortably his best film since the immortal Pan’s Labyrinth.

A thoroughly vintage feel permeates his latest creature-feature as Elisa, a mute cleaner in a vaguely mysterious government facility, becomes fascinated with its latest classified artefact; an alien-like aquatic being similar to a merman. The creature’s ability to breath in and out of water has led to an arms race between the US and the Russians to obtain its biological code in order to get ahead in the space race.

The political hoi-polloi, double crossing and sleeper agents act as an intriguing backdrop to a fairly straight ahead, allegorical love story between Elisa and the creature. Despite its unusual appearance it feels earned, natural and suitably tragic.

It wouldn’t work without a virtuoso performance from Sally Hawkins; she imbues Elisa with such an endearing presence that, despite her lack of speech, she owns every scene even with the scenery-chomping Michael Shannon on gloriously villainous form. The minutiae of her day to day activities, and interaction with lonely neighbour Giles, are the heart of the film.

The vintage flavours; 50’s cars, vinyl, black and white movies and dark, green-littered colour palette give the film a timeless feel. It’s fairly self-contained as well, if marginally pretentious in its thinking.

An old fashioned, romantic fairy tale from the master of creatures, not here to shake up the system but to steal every cinema-goer’s heart.

5 stars *****