Crimson Peak – Review (2015)

About – An aspiring author Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) has a family tragedy which makes her have to re-think her future, to stay at home or go with the man she has suddenly fallen in love for.

Crimson Peak’s visual effects and costumes make this film what it is. They have taken time for detail on the ghosts and really capturing the mise-en-scene of the Victorian Era.
With regards of the ghosts visually they are scary and heart bounding, but the way they have used this isn’t what you would of thought by just using them a handful of times and having short convocations with Edith. However visually they are what you can imagine they would look like, with a red shining glow to them with a sense of dark clouding around their spirit. The detail to the ghosts is done to perfection but took away the actual meaning behind the ghosts.

The costumes are sublime they really capture the clothing and accessories of the Victorian Era, with smart pens for Edith and the dresses for the women and the suits for the men. The costume designer and department were led by Kate Hawley, who has done the likes of The Hobbit and Suicide Squad. You can tell that she has put in every detail to capture the realistic vision of the Victorian Era which is exactly what you would expect from this kind of film.

Unfortunately Crimson Peak doesn’t fulfil for the rest of the production. These two points are the only thing keeping the film going and bringing the entertainment factor to the whole viewing.

The acting isn’t breathtaking; it is below standard for a production like this one. Mia Wasikowska, who plays Edith Cushing, is very natural in her role but felt like it needed more tension bringing to the camera from her. By adding creepy music and darkness to a film doesn’t make a film or performances brilliant. She has to put herself in the shoes of the character in which she could of imagined what it would of been like living in the Victorian Era with the gifts she has, by this feeling of been watched all your life and silver spooned. Unfortunately Mia didn’t fulfil the characters needs and that on-screen relationship that we always want from a film.

Tom Hiddleston who plays Thomas Sharpe is awful; you may argue one of his worst performances to date. Honestly it felt like he was only doing it for the money and just another film in 2015 seeing as though he has been in everyone’s news and light and currently still in the limelight. Thomas Sharpe is a caring individual person which Tom Hiddleston only scrapes the surface with. This is disappointing because this character could have been the making the film, but it wasn’t there and afterwards just wanted more from all the performances that there was.

Crimson Peak really has the potential to be something great, but during and afterwards you was always waiting for that something to happen. There was so much more they could have done with the ending but it felt rushed like they didn’t really know how to end it. However for what experience that it gave me wasn’t all bad there were jumpy scenes and the romance felt natural. It was the actual storyline that has you feeling leaving of wanting more from both the characters and the ending.

Finally, Crimson Peak has the potential to have something greater than it does; the special effects and costumes are the only positives that are available. The performances and the storyline which leave you wanting more, which is very disappointing. For what it is, it is acceptable for the terrible outcome of the film but the visuals and costumes make this film watchable.