Not Del Toro's best by any means, but solid.

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2020)

Guillermo Del Toro is one of a handful of truly visionary directors left and his work always manages to push boundaries and astonish audiences. The Shape of Water is a different kind of movie for Del Toro. Perhaps his most stylised work to date (the 1940's setting really sparkles, but I couldn't help comparing it to the visual style of Amelie, which was distracting, particularly with Sally Hawkins having a passing resemblance to Audrey Tautou and the musical cues being very close as well. It certainly has a very European feel about it, which is perhaps at odds with the content and setting of the film.
That aside, everything moves along at a fast pace and the action comes thick and fast. Performances are all solid, and it's engaging enough.
For me though, it didn't quite have the substance of Del Toros best work, which was a shame. I am incredibly pleased to see the film being such a success critically and commercially, and by most other directors standards the film is indeed a resounding success, but Del Toro isn't anyone, and for my money he can, and will, do better work in the future.