The Shape of Water (2017)
Spoilers galore.
I don’t usually struggle to stay awake in movies, but this one had me nodding constantly. It had a very dark palette and there were no surprises to keep me engaged. While I'm complaining, I'll go ahead and note that Sally Hawkins played her mute character as though being unable to speak meant she was also in arrested development. I got the feeling that del Toro wanted this character to be reminiscent of the young girl from Pan's Labyrinth -- somehow innocent by virtue of her disability. Well, kind of. There were some mixed messages, e.g. the very first scene where we see her masturbating in the tub as part of her morning ritual, not to mention, you know, fish sex.
Once she actually “meets” the creature, I felt as though her love for him wasn't obviously reciprocated. It seemed more likely that his passion was for freedom, not for her. I would've also really liked for there to have been a scene demonstrating his intelligence clearly. What we saw could have easily been projection: "He learned the sign for 'egg'!' He's intelligent!" But how is that talent any different than a dog who learns to shake? I wasn't positive he truly understood. And, yeah, he got a boner when she disrobed and got into the tub, but that does that mean he actually desired her? Any more than a donkey in a Mexican porn show has control over its erection? If he had just, for example, been the one to stuff towels under the door for their “underwater” sex act, I would’ve known he was consenting rather than simply reacting biologically. I just felt icky about the whole deal.
Also, the villainy was SO DUMB.
D+
I don’t usually struggle to stay awake in movies, but this one had me nodding constantly. It had a very dark palette and there were no surprises to keep me engaged. While I'm complaining, I'll go ahead and note that Sally Hawkins played her mute character as though being unable to speak meant she was also in arrested development. I got the feeling that del Toro wanted this character to be reminiscent of the young girl from Pan's Labyrinth -- somehow innocent by virtue of her disability. Well, kind of. There were some mixed messages, e.g. the very first scene where we see her masturbating in the tub as part of her morning ritual, not to mention, you know, fish sex.
Once she actually “meets” the creature, I felt as though her love for him wasn't obviously reciprocated. It seemed more likely that his passion was for freedom, not for her. I would've also really liked for there to have been a scene demonstrating his intelligence clearly. What we saw could have easily been projection: "He learned the sign for 'egg'!' He's intelligent!" But how is that talent any different than a dog who learns to shake? I wasn't positive he truly understood. And, yeah, he got a boner when she disrobed and got into the tub, but that does that mean he actually desired her? Any more than a donkey in a Mexican porn show has control over its erection? If he had just, for example, been the one to stuff towels under the door for their “underwater” sex act, I would’ve known he was consenting rather than simply reacting biologically. I just felt icky about the whole deal.
Also, the villainy was SO DUMB.
D+
posted by MeMe | 3:12 PM
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