The love of a good human seems to work out pretty well for some of the creatures of the films of Guillermo del Toro. Of course, a movie like The Shape of Water, which finally won him a Best Director Oscar (among others) in the filmmaker’s celebrated career is more than just a story of humanity taming some savage being. The movies of Guillermo del Toro go to great, singular lengths to present their “monsters” as complex beings. The Shape of Water explores what happens when two distinct examples of what our world offers meet under extraordinary circumstances.
The film was successful upon its release. Much of del Toro’s work by this point had reached an impressive realm for a director so steeped in genres that mainstream audiences and critics often ignore. The Shape of Water picked up interest immediately just for the fact that he was co-writing (with Vanessa Taylor) and directing a new film.
The actual story seemed to appeal, too, hitting perhaps that “beauty and the beast” trope that can often create compelling stories of isolation and discovery. A lonely, mute woman (Sally Hawkins) discovers and develops a relationship with an unknown amphibious creature (Doug Jones) in a water tank at the secret government laboratory where she works.
Del Toro makes The Shape of Water work so well because the writing and direction reflect a deep care for these people, even the ones with hideous intentions, including a top-tier villain performance from Michael Shannon. His films also naturally benefit from some of the most talented professionals working today, with an affinity and appreciation for what inspires a movie like this as much as the director himself. The Oscar-winning production design by Shane Vieau and creature design from Legacy Effects reflect the vast array of people who made The Shape of Water a surprise hit with audiences, critics, and even Oscar voters.
Five years on, the movie is still well regarded. It has, for now, seemingly escaped the fact that, after a little while, most people don’t really remember who won which Oscar. Perhaps not everyone will recall the movie’s unexpected wins, but The Shape of Water in of itself still has a pretty long list of admirers. Beyond that measure of accomplishment, of still being relevant to its fans half a decade later, the principal players are still doing cool stuff in film and television. Doug Jones, Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, and Octavia Spencer are all still some of the most in-demand actors in the world, and for good reason.
For Guillermo del Toro, everything the filmmaker works on continues to draw attention. While his latest film Nightmare Alley struggled to earn back its budget for a variety of reasons (COVID, weird marketing, take your pick), the film received good reviews and earned several Oscar nominations. Nightmare Alley continues del Toro’s upwards creative journey, without straying too far from the ideas and inspirations that drive his wholly unique interpretations of humanity and the potential for worlds and beings beyond our understanding.
The Shape of Water is unlikely to age poorly anytime soon. Its visuals and atmosphere evoke a type of cinema that often finds new fans regardless of the decade, while its deeper story and themes speak to big budget filmmaking that can indeed have both originality and heart.
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