Director Guillermo del Toro is known for distinctive imagery and bizarre flights of fantasy. This film sustains his signature style in a gothic ghost story full of rich retro technicolor and a few bizarre spectres. Mia Wasikowska plays a rich American woman who’s seduced by a mysterious baronet (Tom Hiddleston). She moves to the titular estate, where his sister (Jessica Chastain) teems with evil. Don’t expect striking scares or bloody gore, because this is a much more sophisticated take on the genre. It unfolds with creepy atmosphere and maintains interest, but the character drama and sumptuous visuals (those dresses!) dominate the estate.
(3 / 5)