Movie #7 The Shape Of Water

[DawnFae]

Guillermo Del Toro said that “The Shape of Water” is the Creature who is an elemental God.

He did not really explain what an elemental God is in his movie mythology but we got a glimpse of his powers at the end of the story: the Creature can bring himself back from the dead and other people unless he never died when the FBI monster shot him but was deeply wounded and could recover very fast.

He healed Elisa’s friend from a deep scratch and made his hair grow back. He activated Elisa’s gills and completed her transformation into what she has always been.
Was Elisa the offspring of an elemental God / Goddess and a human? It would seem so but why did the movie never foreshadow this important piece of information earlier and / or throughout the unfolding of the story? Other than the hint that baby Elisa was found abandoned by the river, we could not see her origins except for the mysterious markings / scars on both sides of her neck.

The nice surprise in the end was not the big revelation the movie probably intended it to be but rather a frustrating aha effect without further elaboration on the subject.
I felt that Elisa’s story has been like the one of the Ugly Duckling, all along.
The too many references to other movies and fairy tales were interesting but they seemed to overload the main story and sidetrack from the love story.

The Otherness of the characters: Guillermo Del Tor mentioned that Elisa, Zelda and Giles were “one character, so he explored and showed the Otherness in three different ways: the older and lonely gay man, the African American woman and the mute little Elisa whom nobody seemed to notice let alone befriend.

I found the relationship between Zelda and Elisa very beautiful. Zelda took Elisa under her wing and tried to help her anyway she could. The undervalued valued each other and won a deep and sincere friendship.

The villain was too cruel and calculating. Perhaps his evilness was an exaggeration but this kind of behavior towards the weaker and “stranger” Others isn’t unheard of, so it was horrible but believable. The FBI agent seemed to believe in a God who favored him and him alone, all the rest of them were specks of dust he could ignore and walk all over. It was satisfying to see the Creature cut his throat and let him bleed out.
Did the Creature know it all along? Did he know that Elisa was part Creature like him? She seemed to magic her way through life with her deep sense of connection with all the others and with nature.

The bond was undeniable but the scenes could have been clearer about it. There weren’t enough “encounters” to show the growing love and sexual attraction after the first befriending and the fascination with the Other were lived for a while. Instead Elisa “told” it to her friend Giles.
The movie’s over all feel was unique and induced a dreamlike state with its vivid colors, water movements and skillful changes in light and atmosphere. The photography was certainly stunning! The plot is relatively simple but kept meandering through all the movie references.
For me, Elisa is one of the best and endearing characters of any movie I have ever seen. The Creature found a worthy actor who could show the emotions and a deep involvement but why could we not really buy into the romance between the Creature and Elisa? I think because something went missing in the interactions between them.

I loved the movie but was left wondering whether it was unbalanced somehow. The Creature and Elisa got a happy ending sort of but many aspects of the magic potential of such a love story were not explored in their whole glory. Having said that, the Shape of Water was a truly enriching and unique experience.

I loved reading your comments Ladies and I agree with your observations. Thank you !
I guess I wanted more of the magic I expected to see in the movie like Lori !

[Dee]

Thanks, DF!

Seems like we are very much in tune in our reactions to this film. We would have preferred more of the romance and the magical and something a bit more original. The focus was askew. Less spy and villain stuff would have sufficed, and more of the Creature and the exploration of Eliza's identity/species and their connection would have been much more of an interest. But we all seem to be taken by the visual treat that this movie has provided along with the wonderful character of Eliza and some lovely memorable moments along the way.

Was Elisa the offspring of an elemental God / Goddess and a human?

These are the real interesting questions, aren't they? She was certainly not an ordinary human, that much is sure. It's really frustrating that we didn't get to hear the potential best stories here: the before and the after.

[Lori]

Great GIF, Lori!!!!

Lori:

...the painfully overtly stereotypical characters fulfilling their predictable societal roles was a bit unimaginative and dreary for me. It negated any impact the messages Mr. de Toro Gomez was attempting because they were so very canned. I found myself wishing that they would have presented a new scenario with the creature/human meme without the tired oft done story line. The villain was cartoon-like to me.

Agreed. Evil white males..again...and again...I know there's truth to it, but AGAIN?!
I like the idea of what might come next, underwater. But impossible to film? Probably.

Yes, sadly there is some truth to that portrayal - men and all, and may I emphasize including but not solely white men if we are to lift our uncovered heads and look around. But that "alt-right" portrayal combined with the ever-clean hands of the other stereotypes was a transparent "lesson" just too simplistic and sophomoric not to actually detract from the film for me - particularly since the depth of the characters and the ability of the actors could speak to these issues themselves, given breadth. It is right that movie makers explore the topical nature reflecting today's issues, but to me this was a bulky execution.

The nice surprise in the end was not the big revelation the movie probably intended it to be but rather a frustrating aha effect without further elaboration on the subject.
I felt that Elisa’s story has been like the one of the Ugly Duckling, all along.
The too many references to other movies and fairy tales were interesting but they seemed to overload the main story and sidetrack from the love story.

I loved the movie but was left wondering whether it was unbalanced somehow. The Creature and Elisa got a happy ending sort of but many aspects of the magic potential of such a love story were not explored in their whole glory. Having said that, the Shape of Water was a truly enriching and unique experience.

I think both you and Agi summed up perfectly my feelings about the film. I suppose a movie that leaves you wanting more had a lot of merit in the first place to elicit such an emotion. My son actually saw this movie before me and (knowing what a Pan's Labyrinth fan I am) told me I would be disappointed but still enjoy it. It is so sweet when my kid knows me this well!

[DawnFae]

Thank you Lori !

How would you guys have told the story?
What would you change to make it to your liking?

[Lori]

Thank you Lori !

How would you guys have told the story?

Poorly.

What would you change to make it to your liking?

I would change the general setting and/or make it less focused on the science lab and characters. Of course, there must be a catalyst for throwing these entities together, but this is predictable as it has been done in other movies so often. I'm with all of you that I would have explored further details about the origin, purpose, and personality of this elemental creature. I would have nurtured the love relationship perhaps a bit slower and then more broadly before ending the film. I would have dispersed those bits of magic more often and ended it deeply entrenched in this smokey underwater netherworld - enough to add further mystery and the beauty that this writer/director is so capable of delivering, particularly with the actors who would have also made it possible. I think he was writing a few different stories that didn't quite meld.

You? Mz. romantic DF?

[Dee]

I would have explored further details about the origin, purpose, and personality of this elemental creature. I would have nurtured the love relationship perhaps a bit slower and then more broadly before ending the film. I would have dispersed those bits of magic more often and ended it deeply entrenched in this smokey underwater netherworld - enough to add further mystery and the beauty that this writer/director is so capable of delivering, particularly with the actors who would have also made it possible.

This.

[Dee]

Isn't this beautiful?

[DawnFae]

WOW!
That was beautiful indeed!
The Shape of Water has become a huge thing.

I am sure they will get lots of Oscars !

[Lori]

Fabulous! I cannot believe they have no net! Who would I trust enough to hold me 35 feet in the air by my ankle? Love Cirque du Soleil. Seeing a performance is on my bucket list!

[Lori]

The Shape of Water won Best Picture at the Academy Awards from Hollowood!