Delayed Reaction: Crimson Peak

The Pitch: Guillermo del Toro wants to make something dark and pretty.

How I Came Into It: I was really looking forward to seeing this in theaters and backed out at the last minute. I don't remember why. That was probably a mistake, since I was sure the visuals would play better on a big screen.

Why I Saw It: I like Guillermo del Toro, maybe more as a concept than for his work. I haven't seen many of his movies. Pan's Labyrinth is solid. Great visuals. I really enjoyed Pacific Rim too. I wouldn't put del Toro in my top tier though. Crimson Peak is a great example of what I expect from him. It's pretty. I like that he looks at horror elements with an artist's eye. I appreciated that the movie is more of a mystery than a horror movie. It's more like a supernatural What Lies Beneath. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessican Chastain, and Charlie Hunnam are a solid quartet, even though I kept waiting for Jax to unleash some whoop-ass.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: The movie had to rely a little too much on the visuals and performances, because the story was way too familiar or just predictable.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend