The Shape of Water may end up being the purest distillation of Guillermo del Toro‘s love of monsters. A fairy tale about an aquatic humanoid and a mute woman, it’s got all the hallmarks of a metaphorical argument against the fear of otherness. And really, what has Del Toro been doing with his mythical creations but this? He has integrated them into the real world, given them fears and desires to match his human characters, and made you care for the scary, monstrous things. The self-proclaimed oddball has been trying to convince us for a while that dark fantasies are lovely things, so why not make one that’s a love story?
Even casual fans of cinema heap praise on Del Toro‘s visionary work, and another offering from the maestro is worth getting hyped for. The teases we get in this trailer are stunning, making it easy to see why he passed on directing Pacific Rim: Uprising for this smaller fable.
With a stacked cast and crew that includes Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, composer Alexandre Desplat, and cinematographer Dan Lausten, it’s hard to imagine The Shape of Water going wrong. Now it’s a waiting game to see if the film can live up to the highest expectations.
The Shape of Water is directed by Guillermo del Toro and stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, and Doug Jones. It will be released in the U.S. on December 8th, 2017 and in the U.K. on February 16th, 2018. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think The Shape of Water will be one of del Toro’s best? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.