Del Toro’s Shape of Water sinks under expectations

The master of fantasy fails to deliver

Shape of Water isn’t his best

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro returns with a new fantasy romance called *Shape of Water*. The film tells the story of a mute cleaning lady who falls in love with a captured amphibious creature. The film has been praised for its visuals and performances, but has been criticized for its slow pacing and lack of originality.

The film stars Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito, a mute cleaning lady who works at a secret government laboratory. Elisa is a lonely woman who has few friends and spends most of her time alone. One day, she discovers a captured amphibious creature in the laboratory and begins to develop a bond with it. The creature, which she names Amphibian Man, is a gentle and intelligent being who is being tortured by the scientists at the laboratory.

Elisa and Amphibian Man form a close bond, and Elisa eventually decides to help him escape from the laboratory. The two of them go on the run, and they eventually find a safe haven in a secluded forest. However, their happiness is short-lived, as the scientists are determined to find Amphibian Man and bring him back to the laboratory.

*Shape of Water* is a visually stunning film with strong performances from Hawkins and del Toro regular Doug Jones as Amphibian Man. However, the film is let down by its slow pacing and lack of originality. The story is predictable and the characters are not particularly well-developed. As a result, the film fails to live up to the high expectations that were set by del Toro’s previous work.