A cold war fairy tale

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2019)

It is the early sixties and protagonist Elisa Esposito works as a cleaner in a secret government facility in Baltimore. We learn that as a baby she was found by a river bank with wounds to her neck that rendered her a lifelong mute, she can hear but speaks using sign language. One day a Colonel Strickland turns up at the facility with a creature he caught in the Amazon. It is humanoid but aquatic and apparently the native population believed it to be a god. It is believed that study of this creature could give America a lead in the ongoing space race. Strickland treats it cruelly and after it turns on him Eliza and her friend Zelda are told to clean the lab. After that she gradually befriends the creature. Then it is decided that the creature should be dissected... she decides to save it. In a subplot it emerges that one of the scientists is actually a Soviet spy; with orders to discover what he can but more importantly to prevent the Americans learning anything.
Those familiar with writer/director Guillermo del Toro's work, particularly 'Pan's Labyrinth' won't be surprised that this film is, at heart, a fairy tale. Like most fairy tales it is also a morality tale. Those from groups considered lesser; the disabled, Eliza; Blacks, Zelda; and homosexuals, Eliza's friend Giles are looked down on... and this ignored and unsuspected. Similarly all-American Col Strickland is clearly the villain of the piece; he may not look it but he is the real monster not the aquatic creature he captured. The story blends genres with elements from classic creature-features, spy thrillers and love stories seamlessly blended; we even get a fantasy song and dance number. The cast is great; most notably Sally Hawkins who gives a stellar performance as Eliza. Doug Jones also stands out even though he was hidden under creature make up and doesn't speak; it is all in the way he moves. The way the story is shot was great; we get a stylised version of the sixties where most things seem to be an unpleasant shade of green. There are some scenes that be bother some viewers with violence, nudity and some sex although none of these are too strong. Overall I'd say that while this won't be for everybody fans of del Toro should definitely give it a go.