One of the strongest directors working today is Guillermo del Toro. The Mexican director has made beloved films such as Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim. All of these films were well-beloved by audiences and probably paved the way for the director to win his first Oscar for the beautiful "love and monsters" story, The Shape of Water.

But one of the stories that didn't get as much love from audiences was Crimson Peak. Coming out around the 2015 Halloween season, Crimson Peak was initially marketed as a horror movie, playing up the fact that it would be scary and, perhaps, gory. While it does have its fair share of jump scares and some bloody imagery, del Toro's film isn't as much a horror film as it is a complex drama about love and grief, effectively taking it into more horror romance territory.

Update September 27, 2023: Crimson Peak makes for a great Halloween movie, and with the season just around the corner, this article has been updated with even more reasons why this underrated Guillermo del Toro movie is a must-watch.

This created unreal expectations in the audience and ultimately damaged Crimson Peak's overall reception. However, in spite of this fact, del Toro crafted an exceptional Gothic film that uses its imagery to get audiences interested in the tragic story of Edith and also tells a compelling ghost story. Here's why it's one of the director's most underrated films.

Crimson Peak Looks Beautiful

crimson peak mansion
Universal Pictures

When watching Crimson Peak, one of the immediate stand-outs is its production design. Thomas Sanders does an excellent job of creating architecture that fits with the time period. There are shots of the mansion's interior and exterior that are visually stunning. What's more, the world of the film is brimming with life. The overall mise en scène of the film also seems to be carefully placed together to create an overall unnerving but cozy experience for the viewer.

Related: The Devil’s Backbone: Guillermo del Toro’s Approach to Innocence in Horror

There is also the costume design and the use of color throughout Crimson Peak. Both are used to add to the story. Rather, it is Edith's all-white clothing, along with the white snow around them, that allows for the crimson to stand out. Also, the black clothing that Thomas and Lucile wear helps their shadows stand out in order to effectively give off their very mysterious aura.

Edith is an Interesting and Complex Character

Mia Wasikowska in Crimson Peak
Universal Pictures 

The characterization of Edith (played by Mia Wasikowska) throughout Crimson Peak is simple but also complex. Audiences can easily relate to the loss that she feels in the story after her mother's death. But then Edith is confirmed to be able to see spirits.

This allows her to be able to see and interact with her mother even after she dies, as her mother continually warns her about the fate that is awaiting her. Edith is also portrayed as kind, loving, and sweet. This is even true after she falls in love with Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) as she keeps her "nice" demeanor. Edith is able to represent pain and sadness through her ability to see those who have died, allowing her to also be a very empathic and almost pure character, making her a great choice as a leading character.

Thomas' Character Development

crimson peak thomas edith
Universal Pictures

Thomas Sharpe has quite the character arc within Crimson Peak. He starts out meeting Edith and using her for his greater purpose before soon realizing that he is truly in love with her and wants to be with her.

Then, there is his incestuous relationship with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) and how their love for each other drives them both mad, creating a very toxic relationship that they each share. This relationship transforms into the moral lesson that del Toro wants us to understand from his narrative: that love can make people go mad, and this is embodied closely by the Sharpes. And yet, Thomas changes, thanks to meeting Edith as he attempts to betray his sister, whom he loved, and thus willingly dies in order to save Edith from his sister's wrath.

This allows us to see him in a very different light as the story moves forward. Regardless, the siblings are among the most iconic villains in del Toro's universe of sketchy characters.

Thomas and Lucile's Relationship

crimson peak lucille
Universal Pictures

Incest as a plot point has been used for a handful of popular stories in American literature, film, and TV shows. Shows like Game of Thrones are well-known for their use of this trope in order to drive their larger narrative forward.

Similarly, Crimson Peak uses its incestuous plot to create an understanding of the twisted relationship between the siblings. Their forbidden romance helps drive the overall plot and creates this tension between Lucille and Edith over their respective bonds with Thomas. Looking at the few moments with Lucile and Thomas, both Chastain and Hiddleston are able to portray their long history just through their facial expression.

This allows for the final act of the film to hit even harder for the audience as there is an innate understanding of their relationship, thanks to the foundation that was laid previously within the film.

It's Gothic Horror, but Horror Nonetheless

Javier Botet as Enola in Crimson Peak
Universal Pictures

By this point, you're probably convinced Crimson Peak is high on the drama. And yes, it is. Gothic horror uses drama as a backdrop for usually character-driven stories. If we add del Toro to the formula, then you know the human element, with its flaws, will play a huge part in the film.

Related: Every Movie Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

However, let's not forget Crimson Peak is a solid scary film that follows the basic rules of horror. It's unsettling, it's got a great creature design (who's played by the invaluable Javier Botet), and it's gory when it has to be. Additionally, del Toro uses the common elements found in his filmography to let us know we're in his hands and in his universe of films. Some lines from The Devil's Backbone are spoken, and ghosts are physically similar. This is horror territory, and curiously, Crimson Peak is the closest del Toro ever stood to traditional and classic horror.

Crimson Peak's Legacy

Mia Wasikowska in Crimson Peak.
Universal Pictures

When Crimson Peak was released in theaters on October 16, 2015, it was a box office disappointment. In its opening weekend, it came in number 4 behind newcomers Goosebumps at number 1 and Bridge of Spies at number 3, with holdover The Martian in the number 2 spot. It dramatically dropped over the coming weeks and ended its domestic run with $31 million and a worldwide total of $74 million. With a budget of $55 million, it can be said to break even, but was still considered a disappointment. Over the years, though, audiences have rediscovered and reclaimed it.

Yet the film is a fascinating entry in del Toro's filmography. Released between his blockbuster popcorn spectacle Pacific Rim and his eventual Academy Award-winning film The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak sort of acts as the second part in a trilogy of films where del Toro references classic monster films. Whereas Pacific Rim is a love letter to kaiju movies and The Shape of Water is to classic Universal Monsters, Crimson Peak is a love letter to the Hammer Horror films of the 1950s.

Crimson Peak might also be del Toro's version of The Haunted Mansion. In 2010, at San Diego Comic-Con, Del Toro was announced as the producer and writer for Disney's reboot of the popular theme park ride-turned-movie. However, del Toro left the project, and was eventually released in 2023 as Haunted Mansion by director Justin Simien. While parts of del Toro's story were still included in the new movie, it is hard not to look at Crimson Peak as a counterpoint to what could have been had he made Haunted Mansion.

You should watch this as soon as possible. Regardless of whether you're a horror fan or not, Crimson Peak is a beautiful depiction of love under strange and eerie circumstances that just happens to finalize in a horror-based setting.

Crimson Peak is available to stream on Netflix.