Magic

Rating: 7/10 (24 April 2018)

This review contains spoilers.
The Shape of Water is directed by Guillermo del Toro and stars Sally Hawkins. Sally Hawkins plays a lonely mute woman that encounters a captured aquatic being at work. Meanwhile a Russian spy discovers the creature and wants to preserve its life.
The Shape of Water has classic themes from Guillermo del Toro's other works. He likes to present fantastical beasts in a realistic setting. Typically the villain is someone that wants to exploit either the creature or the main character in the story. The main character discovers something magical and seeks out adventure. With these tropes in mind, one can see how similar The Shape of Water is with Pan's Labyrinth. The main character's motivations for helping the aquatic being is altruistic. The movie takes place in the United States, with the villain being a military commander that wants to research the alien creature.
The cast does a great job in this movie. Sally Hawkins is the stand-out cast member. She portrays the mute woman well by acting with sign language and body language. Without words, she could portray her character's emotions to the audience well. She also garners the audience's empathy by allowing them to understand her character's plight.
The directing and editing give the movie a fast pace. The scenes are all aesthetically pleasing. The pace of the movie is intense without being too fast. Every scene is thoughtfully planned beforehand. The CGI is used appropriately in this movie with no scenes being too jarring.
The only criticism I have of the movie is perhaps the one-dimensional villain. There was nothing redeeming about him, and he existed for only one purpose. His only motivation for his deeds appeared to only be greed. He also sexually harasses the main character for seemingly no reason other than to establish his own villainy.
I recommend The Shape of Water. The movie is a magical adventure that explores the nature of connection between individuals.
Grade: B