It’s set in the cold war era at a secret scientific base in Baltimore, USA., during the JFK years.
A mute woman who works as a cleaner at the facility discovers a humanoid sea creature stored there. The woman, Elisa, lives a lonely life, with her only friend being her equally lonely artist neighbour, Giles.
Elisa and her co-worker, Zelda find themselves working in the laboratory where the creature is held. Elisa builds a relationship with the creature which slowly grows from fascination to something more intense. When she learns that her boss, Strickland (played by Michael Shannon) doesn’t have the creature’s best interests at heart, she decides to act in ways that will change her existence forever.
The movie is nominated for 13 Academy Awards, and has already won two Golden Globes and three Baftas. It didn’t win the major awards, but writer/director Guillermo del Toro has won two of the awards for Best Director, which is a good omen going into the Oscars.
Sally Hawkins gave a beautiful performance as the silent Elisa. Richard Jenkins also does well playing the gay artist, Giles. Zelda was played by Octavia Spencer, who as per usual in her acting brought some much needed humour with her role. Spencer is a good tip to win Best Supporting Actress, which would add to her win for The Help in 2012.
The skin design of the creature and the special effects are magnificent, as is definitely the direction, and the story, which is traditional in ways, but is told in a most unique way, writes David Flynn.
The setting of 1962 America is excellent to look at, and the look of everything from ice-cream parlours to US streets is a picturesque trip back in time.
The creature is played beautifully by Doug Jones, and it took some stagecraft or possibly some experience with mime, for the actor to create such a role.
The action, the violence, the lovemaking – all of it makes up one of the top movies of the year, and it’s still only late February!
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