Film Review: The Shape of Water is sensitive film making, but maybe not the most universally popular

The story of The Shape of Water involves around the capture of a human-ish water creature, who is likely to thrive when he is left alone and revered from a distance. The same would have probably been better, in a sense, for the film too. A mystical, sensitive film of magic realism set against sharply divided human motivations, it would have been a treasure to watch for the promise of the story itself. Unfortunately, for me, by the time I watched the movie it had won the Oscar for Best Film of the year. As a result, instead of being able to immerse myself in the story, one part of me was constantly critically analysing the politically correct nature of the film, something that Hollywood is big on these days.

Take for instance, the main character, Elisa, who is a mute cleaning lady at a science facility in USA during the cold war era. This is a very atypical character to be at the helm of the film, but as a woman fired up by her desire to rescue the water man, she is a nice feminist portrayal who turns around the age old stereotype of damsels in distress being rescued by brave men. Brought from South America by Colonel Richard Strickland, who inflicts torture on the water creature and wants to kill him in order to study him, the decision triggers Elisa’s impulse to save him. To do this, she is helped by her friendly gay neighbour, Giles, her African-American friend at the facility, Zelda, and a Russian immigrant scientist, Dimitri. Each of these characters represents a section of American society today who have and/or are currently facing ostracism. 

Even though it is inclusive enough to make you feel fuzzy otherwise, viewed from the lens of political correctness, you wonder if it is in fact calculated. Nevertheless, this is a film with a real heart. So much so, that you end up with a degree of compassion for the primary antagonist, Strickland. The character has neither the emotional intelligence to bond with the water man, nor the intellect to understand that keeping the creature alive will add more to scientific discovery, than not. What he does understand, is power and worldly success, so that is what he goes after, irrespective of the damage he causes along the way. While this calls for obedience to his superiors, he is only as good as his previous achievement and there are potentially extreme repercussions of slipups. Much like the water man, who has been trapped in an environment hostile and foreign to him, the antagonist too, is caught up in a world of false trappings that damages him as much as he, vindictively enough, damages others.

And while he chooses to go into a downward spiral driven by ruthlessness, the people at the margins are able to see something special and unique in their midst. And it is this awareness that brings Elisa to an other-worldly love with the water man, eventually bringing the viewer to the understanding that sometimes even the people among us considered most ordinary might be carrying something rare and undiscovered within them. But for other characters in the film, who do not understand that Elisa’s motivations stem from nothing but pure humanity, she is almost funnily suspected of working with some power bigger than herself. Even when she is able to pull off getting the water creature out of the facility, in analysing the event, the security believes it is the work of a highly skilled team with bigger motives than just saving the life of the creature. In a world of insecurity and suspicion, the film thus throws light on how out of touch we are with human impulses in assessing situations.

The big question, though, that the film asks is this: If the gods came and stood among us today, would we have the perception to see them for what they are? Or would we think of them as merely some other species? And herein lies the warning: In so far as it is assumed that their unique abilities are their only special abilities, they may just be getting underestimated. And, that in itself could have potentially disastrous consequences. On the flipside, there is no telling the rewards that might await the good heart and the brave soul if they do the right thing.

At the end of the day though, it is a story well told, which raises questions that can be analysed endlessly. It is an enjoyable watch though it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But raised to a pedestal now, will be watched by many more and hopefully seen for its true value.