The Shape of Water

By: A. Wichmann

Title: The Shape of Water
Release date: February 1st 2018
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Main cast: Sally Hawkins, Doug Jones, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, Lauren Smith
Budget: US$ 19,5 million
Box office: US$ 110,7 million
Rotten tomatoes rating: 92%


This 13 Oscar nominated movie follows the story of an unlikely love between a mute woman and a sea creature who was captured and taken to a lab. He is abused and experimented on by scientists who wish to make him into a deadly weapon and make him fight the soviets in the sixties. They build a relationship through the course of the movie, while the girl teaches the creature sign language. Although this plot of a misunderstood creature, abused by humanity's inability to see past one's look and origin, has been used several times in movies; the creators found a way to make it look new and fresh. Several people have connected the plot and characters to two other amazing movies, one being E.T and the other being the creature from the Black Lagoon.

The cast chosen for this movie couldn't have been better, Sally Hawkins as the protagonist and Doug Jones as the mystical creature. They both perform in a way that makes you forget about the fact that it's a relationship between two different beings. This makes it seem like one of the greatest romantic movies of the year. But what really steals the show, are the special effects used to bring the fish man to life, not only by CGI but also using practical resources such as amazing costumes made by the dressing department.

In my personal opinion: this movie deserves all the praise it has gained over the last few months. It has amazing characters, an interesting story and amazing acting that brings its world to life.