Too many issues and unlike del Toro

Rating: 6/10 (18 January 2018)

I LOVE del Toro's movies and his visionaries but this is so unlike his usual style. The originality has been crushed by way too mamy placement of B&W movies and especially Jeunet's Amelie - did Elisa (Sally Hawkins) walk past a burning chocolate factory called "Ammalie?" I really don't understand the French angle when the story is set in Cold War era in America that is also experiencing unimaginable racism and sexism. Added to the melting pot, is Elisa's neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins) who is gay but his brief subplot is unnecessary and is clearly underdeveloped. Jenkin's presence and talent are wasted here as he meanders nostalgically through the movie but only comes alive when he interacts and helps Elisa with her ordeal.
The acting is overall superb. Hawkins is incredible as a long suffering lonely mute. Her whole body emotes her anguish, desperation and happiness down right to her sinewy fingers. Michael Shannon's villian is so foul and hateful, the very opposite to his conscientious and pitiable detective in Nocturnal Animals. He can take on any role and provoke viewers from beginning to the end. Octavia Davis is so loveable and bigger than life that she can't help but steal every scene she appears in. Doug Jones who is the hunted Amphibian Man looks very similar but is a more tortured Hell Boy's Abe Sapien whom he also played. I did wonder if SoW is Hell Boy's uncredited sequel.
SoW is simply about love - that it knows no boundaries and speaks through any languages. And this is what del Toro should have stuck with, the very essence of Pan's Labrynth. But this movie takes on too many issues, diluting the important main theme. It is no doubt visually stunning in colours and cinematography however at times, the typical del Toro melancholic beauty is replaced by graphic sex scene or violent gore.
It's unfair to keep comparing del Toro's earlier movies but their distinct visuals and out of the square box storylines are what made him different. I just hope he's not becoming the dull and predictable box office smash directors from the same Hollywood mould.