3 basic criticisms.

Rating: 6/10 (26 February 2018)

1) I need WAY MORE insight into the motivations for a villain like Richard Strickland. What happened to him to make him the way he is? - otherwise he is a stock character we are simply intended to hate and root against. Was this edited out? He is on the screen way too long to not be developed more. His final words were "I guess you are a god". Maybe that is a clue given his character's biblical allusions?
2) The plot was entirely predictable and the first ten minutes in we knew how it would proceed and end. This just seemed like a missed opportunity to make it more interesting.
3) Why would we need gratuitous violence when Hoffstetler is killed? Was it because of the finger biting theme that we are supposed make the connection? That seemed odd to me - and I have seen his other movies so I know he has a thing for detailed violence.
Enjoyed the look of the film but the predictability of the denouement made the third quarter drag - resulting in the loss of suspended disbelief. Still unsure what the POINT was.
Get Out, and 3 billboards are far more interesting and challenging movies than this. The shape of water will be forgotten pretty quickly despite all the oscar hysteria.