A great yet underrated Tom Hiddleston movie is set to arrive on Netflix next month.
Before he swept the Oscars for 2017’s The Shape of Water, director Guillermo del Toro made 2015’s Crimson Peak, a gothic romantic horror film starring Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska. Though it didn’t match the same level of impact as certain other movies del Toro and Hiddleston have done, it’s well worth a watch, so make sure to give it a look when it debuts on Netflix from April 16th.
Set in the late 19th century, it stars Wasikowska as Edith Cushing, a young American woman who marries the dashing, brooding Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) after a whirlwind romance. Moving to his creepy, crumbling English country home, Allerdale Hall, Edith is haunted by the ghosts that dwell in the house and suspects her husband and his icy sister Lucille (Chastain) of sharing a very dark secret.
Due to its old fashioned storyline and unusual mix of genres, Crimson Peak failed to find an audience during its original release, only earning back $75 million worldwide off of its $55 million budget. Reviews were warm, though, with the film sitting at a solid 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus reads: “Crimson Peak offers an engaging – albeit somewhat slight – diversion driven by a delightfully creepy atmosphere and director Guillermo del Toro’s brilliant knack for unforgettable visuals.”
It might not have been a commercial smash, but the movie has become a cult favorite among del Toro loyalists, Tom Hiddleston fans and anyone who likes gothic filmmaking in the years since. The British actor gives a standout performance in his antihero role, a part which was originally set to be played by his friend Benedict Cumberbatch before he exited the project. And Chastain is likewise terrific as the unhinged Lucille.
If you’ve never seen it before, then, make sure to catch Crimson Peak when it arrives on Netflix in just under a month’s time.
