A masterpiece signed by Del Toro

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2018)

After his, in my opinion very good, horror "Crimson Peak", Guillermo Del Toro returns completely changing genre going to the romantic with fantasy background.
Certainly it changes genre but not style and in fact from the first shots you immediately recognize the unmistakable artistic and stylistic approach of the famous Mexican director. A coherent, fascinating and always disturbing, in some respects, style.
In this case, however, he exceeds himself and creates a visually monumental and cinematographically sublime work. The film is simply a real beauty for the eyes, for the soul and for the heart.
All this thanks to the extraordinary images that Dan Laustsen's cinematography (Crimson Peak, John Wick 2) exalts and decorates with surreal colors tending to aquamarine (not by chance color that recalls the main element of the film) and a sweet lighting, a truly wonderful cinematography; and that the intimate and meticulous direction of Del Toro manages to frame with precision, passion and a lot of personality.
A director who proves to be quite explicit in several scenes, it comes to say almost brave, in fact in some scenes Guillermo Del Toro is not afraid to frame bodies, however pure, naked; this would seem to go against the extreme delicacy and incredible romanticism with which the whole film is characterized, but this is perfectly inserted in the aforementioned context, thus succeeding in showing, as it should be, this wonderful love in the best of the its Shape.
The wonderful images are transformed into exciting sequences and linked to each other through a dynamic and intelligent editing that uses small escamotage (like two drops of water on a window) to surprise the viewer already completely immersed in the film.
Thanks to the great skill of Del Toro you can not not be immersed in this beautiful story (similar to that of "Beauty and the Beast") and not even be overwhelmed by this love; had been made by someone else probably the effect would have been contrary, namely disgust and misunderstanding but in this case instead of doing this, instead of discriminating this love, you can not but desire it.
Thanks mainly, not only to the director, but also to the indisputable skill of Sally Hawkins, first of all, of Octavia Spencer, perfect for the role entrusted to her, and of Richard Jenkins (all three nominated for an Oscar); fundamental was also the interpretation of Doug Jones who managed to make the "amphibious man" credible and appreciable.
Also helped by a good makeup despite some scenes in which the presence of a costumes is perceptible.
The soundtrack is also beautiful.
Less good is the screenplay (also nominated by the Academy Awards) that, despite its objective quality, can not give to the public unforgettable dialogues as, instead, it is all the rest.