The storyline has good flow but is perhaps a bit predictable, acting is decent though the characters don't have much depth. But the winner for this film are the visuals. The house itself is stunningly haunting and the ghosts are almost ethereal. This movie doesn't have much substance but is a real treat to watch.

Buffalo, New York, 1880s. Edith Cushing (played by Mia Wasikowska) is haunted (in some cases, literally) by the death of her mother - she died when Edith was young. Then she meets an English entrepreneur, Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddlestone),the relationship develops and life seems to be improving. However, her father, Carter Cushing (Jim Beaver),disapproves of Sir Thomas and tries to have Sir Thomas and his scheming sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain),sent back to England. Mr Cushing then dies in mysterious circumstances, leaving Edith and Sir Thomas free to wed, which they do. The married couple and Lucille move into the Sharpe ancestral home in England, the run-down Allerdale Hall. Hardly has she moved in than Edith's nightmares become quite vividly real, being haunted by ghoulish apparitions. It's as if the house doesn't want her there...

Good start, but fizzles out from about half way in. The set up was good - good back story and plot progression and a large dose of malice and intrigue. The best "horror" movies have plausible explanations for all the ghosts and horror scenes and have a good twist or two in store. Crimson Peak seemed to be shaping up for that: solid plot to the non-horror part and a decent cast, a cast you wouldn't expect to find in a common-or-garden horror movie. Surely this was going to have a profound ending and a plausible explanation for everything?

Sadly, no. In the end it is just a horror movie. The great revelation is hardly surprising and the ghosts were just ghosts. Only stands out from your average horror movie due to the initial build up, the good production values and A-list cast.

Disappointing.

I don't understand "Crimson Peak". It's a terrific horror film from Guillermo del Toro...yet it flopped at the box office and there are a lot of rather nasty (possibly hateful) reviews here on IMDb. I just don't get it.

When the film begins, Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston),a charming but creepy guy, arrives in the States to try to get money for a bizarro project (the weakest aspect of an otherwise great film). However, there is definitely much more to this weirdo and the audience is definitely on to him...but the industrialist he's come to see has a young daughter and Mia (Mia Wasikowska) is very taken by Sharpe and his attentions. The father definitely is NOT pleased and learns something damning about Sharpe but before he can act he's brutally murdered. Next, the sweet young Mia is married and heading to Britain with her new husband, Sharpe.

Sharpe's home is a creepy old mansion--definitely the stuff of nightmare fodder. There Sharpe and his creepier sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain),live...and Mia immediately starts getting creepy vibes. It seems that Mia has supernatural abilities and can see the dead on occasion. While very scary, she is able to communicate with these spirits...and one of them is trying to get her to leave this awful house. Why and what's next? You'll just have to see this film.

This film is pretty typical of some of del Toro's other films, such as "The Devil's Backbone". The dead, while scary and menacing, are not necessarily malevolent. And, like a typical del Toro film is it NOT for the faint of heart...it is very bloody, visceral and kind of gross. Do not, for the love of God, let kids watch this film!!!! But if you can handle the gore, it's a wonderfully surprising film with many original story elements. Well worth seeing and a surprisingly good film.