This is a monster movie made with real love.
Del Toro’s Valentine to boundary-crossing love pours from the screen in ravishing torrents of feeling and style. And Hawkins is sublime.
Describe it and this sounds completely weird and a bit creepy, like some extremely niche fetish porn with a budget. Watch it and it’s magical; fantastic in all senses. It’s the biggest risk of del Toro’s career and it could not have paid off more.
Del Toro’s greatest work. Simply magnificent.
I don’t think I am a full-scale Del Toro believer, but no one can doubt his film-making’s richness, savour and force. It is immersive cinema.
You will cheer her on as she takes a stand for love in a world that seems determined to surrender to fear and suspicion.
The end result is truly perfection.
Guillermo del Toro’s magical movie, a cold war thriller, is underpinned by a superb cast and knowing nods to Hollywood classics.
General release. Check local listings for show times.