Crimson Peak

“The horror was for love.”

Mia Wasikowska plays writer Edith Cushing, who falls in love with Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), an inventor. Persuaded by his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain), Thomas courts Edith only to gain her fortune for his brilliant invention to restore his family’s legacy. Naturally, Thomas really falls in love with her, something his possessive sister does not approve of.

Brought to the Sharpe estate at Crimson Peak, what follows is a tale of bloodshed and lies as Edith discovers the truth of Thomas and Lucille’s intentions.

“It’s not sad; it’s nature.”

Del Toro shows us something scary, an idea of terror, only to remind us that terror is all around us. Love is an action, and it can become ugly. What starts as intention turns into obsession. Like the best gothic romances, Del Toro uses love as a weapon. Love can transform us but we can easily twist it into something malicious.

And all the madness, the horror, for love? Or was it the love of horror, of obsession, of ownership? Crimson Peak is an underrated film. For me, it is one of the great gothic horror stories told on screen.

Jessica Chastain is amazing as Lucille. I can feel the weight of her obsession in the performance. The shots are striking on a canvas of snow and blood, creating a balance of innocence and guilt. Such a lustrous and horrific tale. Guillermo del Toro is a masterful storyteller. He builds fantastical worlds that haunt.

“Beauty is fragile...” but so is glass, and it cuts deep.