If you’re a Guillermo Del Toro fan like myself, you probably found yourself at a local movie theater this weekend watching Crimson Peak. Or let’s be honest, if you just wanted to see Tom Hiddleston’s bum! I won’t lie, I fell into both categories. So this Saturday I went to my local theater and saw the film. I expected greatness, this film is from the man who created Pan’s Labyrinth! Alas, I was disappointed.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
1. The Ring
A big deal is made about this red stone ring in the film. However, it’s significance is never explained what so ever. At one point the ring is taken off Mia Wasikowska’s finger and you see that where the ring used to be it looks decayed. Weird right? No explanation for that. If you’re going to continually make note of something, you have to explain it to the audience at some point. To neglect to do so isn’t fair to the viewers.
2. No Explanation for the Supernatural
If you’re going to have a film filled with ghosts, a creepy house, dead bugs, and red gooey stuff seeping out of every pore of the place, you need to explain it. Sure the fact that they killed their Mother and Wife explains the ghosts, but why the dead bugs? Is Lucille an angel of death? Or a demon? Why do they stay in a place that has a gigantic hole in the roof? Who can live with sludge coming out of every crack? Are they somehow attached to the house supernaturally? Alas, no answers.
3. Strong Female
Guillermo is usually very good at creating female characters. Our heroine Edith is a writer, free thinker (especially for her time), and makes her own decisions. However, the minute her Father passes away she seems to give up all her say in life to Thomas (Hiddleston). She also doesn’t do a whole lot once she weds him. I really, really disliked when she had to be rescued by Charlie Hunnam’s character in the end. She does off Lucille, but not without asking help from Thomas’ ghost.
4. Chemistry between Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska
Pretty much since the first moment they meet and all throughout the film I never feel that Edith actually loves him. You’re supposed to buy that she’s so in love that she runs off quickly after her father’s death to be with him (all the way from Buffalo to England). On the other side, Thomas does seem to care for her, but I can’t buy that he’s swooned her into giving him all her money. He’s charming, but not that charming. It just doesn’t seem plausible, she’s supposed to be something more than some dumb girl who’s easily manipulated. But alas, she isn’t.
5. Unsatisfying Ending
All of the ghost, ghouls, mysterious brother sister relationship, and creepy red ore lead up to the answer of Crimson Peak. However, the answer isn’t satisfying at all. All you are given is that Thomas and Lucille are in an incestuous relationship. That doesn’t explain the why dead things seem to be in Lucille’s wake, or why they are so attached to the house. Why does Thomas feel such a need to harvest the ore from the ground? I left feeling like part of the movie was skipped in the theater.
Your Friend, Elle
The Ring was the mothers ring and family heirloom. There was a whole scene dedicated to explaining what ghosts are when Charlie and Mia are going over glass photography. Perhaps chemistry is debatable, but she is supposed to be innocent and easily deceived as is the main stay of Gothic Romance. You can be innocent and strong at the same time. The point of Tom appearing as a ghost at the end was to show that you only see ghosts when you are meant to (again explained in the film) it was implied that Lucille needed to see Thomas to understand that she needed to stop what she was doing.Thomas’s whole dream was to be self sustaining without needing to murder women for money. Sorry, but I feel like you did not actually watch the movie at all.
Okay, but why was Mia’s finger decayed? I had no qualm with the ghosts. I think it was quite a character swap to build her as this this strong woman who actually stands up for herself, but then just follows around Thomas. I understand what you’re saying with the Thomas crutch, I just think it was presented wrong. I did, we just have varying opinions. Thanks for your comment.
I’ve only seen the movie once, but I think Edith’s finger was actually just dirty and bruised from Lucille ripping it off her hand, not decaying. It’s also possible Lucille tore some of Edith’s flesh off in the process.
Hmm, it looked decayed to me as if some supernatural was involved.
When Lucille took back the ring she ripped it off of Edith’s finger which bruised and scraped her. Also note that the ghost was missing a ring finger as well. Lucille was very possessive of not only the ring but Thomas as well.
It looked decayed to me as if some supernatural was involved. I think it would have been much more compelling to be supernatural, rather than just jealousy.
I agree with Shayna. A lot of the reasons you mentioned were explained in the movie. Mia’s character had the ability to see ghosts since her mother had died (at age 1O I believe).
It’s not that Edith was just following him around like some puppy; it’s that he was a likeable, charming man who was her husband. With that in mind, a loyal wife would be willing to do that for their husband.
I am not sure what you mean about her finger decaying on the ring.
As for Lucille, she’s literally psycho. She was even in an asylum after killing her mother! Lucille is amoral and used Thomas to seduce & marry women, take their money/land/inheritance and then she’d kill them. Maybe those bugs were drawn to the death in the house.
Also, the red stuff cooking from the wall is just clay. He and Lucille lived there because it was their family home. Yes, it was falling apart, sinking, and had a broken roof, but they were to poor to fix it. As was said, Thomas was an inventor and his machine (that harvested ore) would’ve made them money, if he had the chance to manufacture it completely.
I personally thought they had chemistry from when they first met. Especially during their waltz.
~These are just might thoughts.
I have no qualm with the ghosts. I think to build her as this woman who stands up for herself (against those women at the beginning) and then to make her a lost puppy was a character jump. I think the bugs should have been explained cause they even happened while in Buffalo.
I still think it’s ridiculous they lived there. I appreciate your comment
For what i seen, Edit is a very young, free spirited woman ahead of her time, which is early 1900. You have to remember that the place in the society for women then was very different to today. Woman those days are not allowed to attend social clubs, votes, or even work for a living (considered as bring shame to herself & family) and are conform to the law / rule of the society as married women of that time, that yourself & your inheritance belongs to your husband. So you can’t compare today standard of independent women to the period of the movie. She’s still very young & inexperience to be swept off her feet by a charming man whom seem to understand her passion of writings & show keen interest in her works, and to be honest when a man come on to you on that angle even for very smart women of today it’s still very hard to resist. And by being inexperience & naive doesn’t = weak. And when you’re in love & just got married, no one would like to assume the worst of you husband (yes, even for today strong woman). I suggest you do some google about woman’s rights in 1900s, you will see how life is like for Edith as a woman/orphan of her time. But she has a strong mind & when in peril does what she has to do to survive instead of just scream, shaken, frozen, crumbled in the corner. To me that’s pretty strong. And believe me it’s easy to act tough when life is good or as an audience watching it happened to someone else, but not many can think or function when themselves in peril.
Same goes with Thomas, as he said in the movie when he brings Edith home.. “it’s a privilege you are born into and can never be relinquished”. Tom Hiddleston gave an interview about this when the reporter asks why don’t they just leave the house. But where to? With what? It’s his identity & inheritance. He wanted to (and the movie shows this), but tied to his duty to the family legacy & Lucile. The only option he thinks he has a chance is to succeed in the mining machine.
I’ll assume from your comment that you are quite young yourself. Life is never black or white. Physiology of us human being is tied to our past which affect our choices, therefore, our present & future. So to me, this movie is very deep into human emotions in all aspect. I love it.
I understand what it was like for women in that time. However, to set her up in the beginning of the film as someone who stands up for herself and goes against what society tells her (ie. being a writer) and then to have her just follow a man around is quite a character change.
I understand what Hiddleston is saying, I just don’t think that was conveyed in the film.
My age has nothing to do with my view of life. Everyone has their struggles in life so for you to assume that I don’t understand isn’t a fair point of view to take.
Sorry I meant: “….. Psychology of us human being is tied to our past which affect our choices, therefore, our present & future….” (damn auto correct).
To add as well that I agree with you about Edith & Thomas’ chemistry. I like Mia and think that she’s cute as a button + great dress sense – but her emotions in every movie of her that I have seen are the same, either 2 dimensions or very blank facial expression. It’s hard to conveyed the romance when it’s one way. Poor Sir Thomas. LOL