Sorry I thought this movie was overhyped nonsense. There was barely a cohesive plot nor much of a story. It just trudges along until the end. I didn’t feel any emotional connect to the characters. The idea that a disabled woman has such low self esteem that she would pursue a romantic/ sexual relationship with a secret mutant fishman held in government captivity is preposterous as well as extremely inappropriate. Why did It stay with her all that time like a pet, rather than try to escape-Stockholme Syndrome?? The end, where the fishman turns Eliza’s scars into fish gills...lol. Just absurd.

I like Guillermo Del Toro as a director/writer, but I just didn’t get this movie at all. I suppose the Academy was trying to award a minority filmmaker this year because Three Billboards and Phantom Thread were better movies.

Edit: Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind while watching this film. After a bit of retrospect, I had a change of heart about this movie.

The Academy was right in their decision. It is the best movie of 2018 because of the level of artistry, Del Toro’s unique style of storytelling/ his vision that really is truly unrelated to his race. I do “GET”the movie and it is a beautifule movie. Bravo to Guiellermo! I’d like to see him do more movies dramatic films.

I'm surprised to hear you thought the narrative was incoherent and that you couldn't emotionally connect with the characters.

But good to see that you have rewatched it and are warming up to it a bit.

That said, I think you may have misunderstood the film a little when it comes to Elisa's character.

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It is heavily hinted that Elisa is descended from the humanoid amphibian and as a child, she was discovered orphaned, as a baby, by a river, with her vocal chords cut. This is why in the film, we often see the scar on the side of her neck. It's hinted that these scars are gills, as the creature heals her in the water at the end and also Elisa as a character, seems to be very comfortable in water - this is why there are repeated shots of her in her bathroom and 'enjoying' herself in the bath. This is also why she can breathe when she floods the bathroom.

@hucko003 said:

I'm surprised to hear you thought the narrative was incoherent and that you couldn't emotionally connect with the characters.

But good to see that you have rewatched it and are warming up to it a bit.

That said, I think you may have misunderstood the film a little when it comes to Elisa's character.

(SPOILERS)

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It is heavily hinted that Elisa is descended from the humanoid amphibian and as a child, she was discovered orphaned, as a baby, by a river, with her vocal chords cut. This is why in the film, we often see the scar on the side of her neck. It's hinted that these scars are gills, as the creature heals her in the water at the end and also Elisa as a character, seems to be very comfortable in water - this is why there are repeated shots of her in her bathroom and 'enjoying' herself in the bath. This is also why she can breathe when she floods the bathroom.

All these interpretations are very interesting and debatable. This is what I enjoy about this forum.

I like Guillermo Del Toro as a director/writer, but I just didn’t get this movie at all. I suppose the Academy was trying to award a minority filmmaker this year because Three Billboards and Phantom Thread were better movies.

That's a tough one. Although visually stunning, I thought this film was very good, but Three Billboards was great. I know it is all subjective, but I would have voted for Billboards over this. Haven't seen Phantom Thread yet so I can't comment on that.

I also feel like with the academy there is an element of giving someone an Oscar for time served. Like Scorsese for The Departed. That was a great film, but up against Babel and Letters From Iwo Jima, I don't know it was the best film nominated, I feel like he might have won as consolation for missing out on all the other times he was nominated. I'm probably reading too much into it though