In 1962, during theCold War, Elisa Esposito works as a janitor in a secret government laboratory inBaltimore, Maryland. Found abandoned by the side of a river as an infant with scars on her neck, Elisa ismute and communicates throughsign language. Her only friends are hercloseted middle-aged neighbor Giles, an advertising illustrator, and her coworker Zelda.
Colonel Richard Strickland has captured a creature from a South American river and taken it to the facility for study. Elisa discovers it is ahumanoidamphibian, and bonds with the creature after visiting him in secret. Seeking an advantage in theSpace Race, Strickland persuadesGeneral Frank Hoyt tovivisect the Amphibian Man to examine hisrespiratory system. Scientist Robert Hoffstetler, a Soviet spy, pleads with Strickland to keep him alive for further study, while being ordered by hishandlers to kill the creature.
Giles relucantly agrees to help Elisa free Amphibian Man after failing a work assignment and being rejected by a local restaurant manager. Hoffstetler and Zelda also become involved in the plot and successfully get the Amphibian Man to Elisa's apartment. Elisa keeps him in her bathtub, planning to release him into a nearby canal when heavy rain allows access to the ocean. When Giles tries to stop the Amphibian Man from devouring one of his cats, his arm is slashed and the Amphibian Man flees. Elisa coaxes him back to her apartment and the creature touches Giles on his balding head and wounded arm. The next morning, Giles discovers his hair is regrowing and the wounds on his arm havehealed. Elisa's infatuation with the Amphibian Man culminates insexual intercourse.
General Hoyt gives Strickland an ultimatum to recover the Amphibian Man or his career will be over. Hoffstetler is told by his handlers he'll beextracted from the US in two days. The Amphibian Man's health begins to deteriorate.
Strickland follows Hoffstetler to a meeting with his handlers where Hoffstetler is shot. Strickland intervenes, shooting the handlers, then tortures the dying spy into revealing the Amphibian Man's whereabouts. Strickland confronts Zelda in her home and her husband reveals Elisa has the Amphibian Man. Zelda warns Elisa to release the creature before Strickland can arrive. He ransacks Elisa's apartment and finds evidence of the creature in the bathtub and a calendar note revealing where she plans to release him.
"Unable to perceive the shape of You. I find You all around me. Your presence fills my eyes with Your love. It humbles my heart. For You are everywhere."
—In a voice-over narration, Giles conveys his belief that Elisa lived happily ever after with the Amphibian Man.
Elisa and Giles are bidding farewell to the creature at the canal when Strickland arrives, knocks Giles down, and shoots both the Amphibian Man and Elisa. Giles and Strickland fight while the Amphibian Man heals himself, then fatally slashes Strickland's throat. As the police arrive with Zelda, the Amphibian Man jumps into the canal with the unconscious Elisa. He kisses her and when he uses his healing power the scars on her neck open to reveal gills. Elisa revives and embraces the Amphibian Man.
It was co-produced between the United States and Mexico. The film was directed byGuillermo del Toro from a screenplay he co-wrote withVanessa Taylor.[1] Del Toro formed the idea forThe Shape of Water over breakfast in December 2011 withDaniel Kraus, his future collaborator on the novelTrollhunters.[7] It was primarily inspired by del Toro's childhood memories of seeingCreature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and wanting to see theGill-man and Kay Lawrence (played byJulie Adams) succeed in their romance.[8]
When del Toro was in talks withUniversal to direct a remake ofCreature from the Black Lagoon, he tried pitching a version focused more on the creature's perspective, where the Creature ended up together with the female lead, but the studio executives rejected the concept.[9] Additionally, the film also shows similarities to the 2015 short filmThe Space Between Us.[10]
In placing the film in the 1960s, del Toro said "the movie is a movie about our problems today and about demonizing the other and about fearing or hating the other, and how that is a much more destructive position than learning to love and understand [...] if I say once upon a time in 1962, it becomes a fairy tale for troubled times. People can lower their guard a little bit more and listen to the story and listen to the characters and talk about the issues, rather than the circumstances of the issues."[11]
Doug Jones was chosen to portray the Amphibian Man inThe Shape of Water, having collaborated with del Toro onMimic (1997),Hellboy (2004),Pan's Labyrinth (2006),Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), andCrimson Peak (2015), with Jones also playing a differentamphibian man in the Hellboy series. In an interview withNPR, Jones said his initial reaction to learning the creature would also be a romantic lead was "utter terror" but trusted the director to expand the character's development. As Jones wanted to portray a creature distinct from others in monster films, he practiced a variety of movements in a dance studio. After del Toro told him to make the character "animalistic, but royal and regal", Jones decided to also portray the character as aMatador.[14] The voice of the Amphibian Man was created by supervising sound editorNathan Robitaille, who combined his own vocalizations, various animal sounds, and recordings of del Toro breathing.[15]
The part of Giles was originally written withIan McKellen in mind, and del Toro was inspired to do so by his performance inGods and Monsters as the real-life closeted gay filmmakerJames Whale, the director ofFrankenstein (1931),The Invisible Man (1933), andBride of Frankenstein (1935), who found himself unemployable in his later years. When McKellen proved unavailable, del Toro sent an e-mail toRichard Jenkins, who accepted the part.[16]
Michael Shannon was cast as Richard Strickland, the villain of the film. Shannon and del Toro had early conversations about the notion that Strickland would have been the hero of the film if it had been made in the 1950s, something that fascinated the actor.[17]Octavia Spencer, who played the role of Elisa's co-worker, friend, and interpreter Zelda, found it funny that the people del Toro used to speak for the mute main character were people who represent verydisenfranchised groups.[18]
Del Toro was torn between making the film in color or in black and white, and was at one point leaning toward the latter.Fox Searchlight Pictures offered del Toro either a $20 million budget to make the film in color or a $17 million budget to shoot it in black and white. Del Toro admitted he was in "a battle I was expecting to lose. I was of two minds. On one hand I thought black and white would look luscious, but on the other hand I thought it would lookpostmodern, like I was being reflective rather than immersed." As a result, he chose to shoot it in color.[25][26] In an interview withIndieWire about the film, del Toro said the project was a "healing movie for me", as it allowed him to explore and "speak about trust, otherness, sex, love, where we're going. These are not concerns that I had when I was nine or seven."[27]
Three years beforeThe Shape of Water was released, del Toro met with composerAlexandre Desplat to talk about the film's premise. In January 2017, Desplat was shown a rough cut of the finished film, and finding it similar to a musical, he agreed to compose a score. As a result, Desplat tried to capture the sound of water extensively to have audiences experience a "warm feeling" that is also caused by love. In an interview, he said the melody from the opening scene was "actually made of waves. I did not do that on purpose, but by being completely immersed in this love and these water elements, I wrote a melody that playsarpeggios like waves."[28]
Writing the film score took six weeks; it was purposely composed to create the sense of immersion and to give the "sense that you, yourself, are floating". The two melodies, one titled "Elisa's Theme", are heard at the beginning of the film and later merge into a single piece of music by the end of it. To emphasize this effect and its final result, Desplat changed the sounds of the accompanying flutes, accordions, and whistles to "something blurred". On composing the score overall, he said that it was "a matter of sculpting the music and making it take the shape of the storyline." As a result, Desplat opted out of giving Shannon's character a melody.[28]
The music forThe Shape of Water was released on December 1, 2017, byDecca Records. At the90th Academy Awards, it received theAcademy Award for Best Original Score.[29] Desplat noted that "when the movie's that beautiful—and I actually think this movie is a masterpiece—it makes your life much easier. You just have to put your hands on it and it takes you anywhere you want."[28]
The Shape of Water is constructed to challenge society’s perception of the Other in both a literal and metaphorical sense. The monster of this film is a humanoid amphibian creature stolen from the Amazon by American scientists. While much of pop culture has dismissed this film as a monster-human romance,[38] the imagery and symbolism of this film go far beyond fantasy. Through del Toro’s characterization and intentional humanization of the creature, the creature becomes a metaphor to discuss the “beauty of the Other”[38] (i.e., those marginalized in society).
The sociopolitical context of the film becomes essential to understanding character dynamics; namely the interactions between those with power and those without. In the background of theCold War and thecivil rights movement, Black people, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people continually occupied a lower social class in the United States.[39] Therefore, those belonging to marginalized groups are likely to connect and empathize with the creature as they see their own experiences reflected through the creature’s interactions with the people of authority around him.[40]
As a mute woman and someone who is not visibly Other,[40] Elisa’s acceptance of the creature is interpreted as a testament to the human capacity for compassion and empathy. Her attempt to free the creature from government control, with help from Giles (a gay man) and Zelda (a Black woman), is evidence of solidarity among marginalized communities. Similar to Tod Browning’sFreaks, it is no surprise in this film that those who are also othered by society band together against the oppressive external powers. This may influence “viewers to consider how they too can resist oppression”[39] in the face of institutional monstrous brutality.[41]
For Alberta Adji, “monstrous entities help the audience perceive foreigners as something that is intimate, common, and invaluable.”[42] The film contrasts the two societal approaches to foreigners (e.g., immigrants, refugees, etc.) through the perspectives of Elisa and Dr. Hoffstetler. In science, the creature is a specimen, until the moment the scientist realizes that he is capable of understanding human speech.[43] This scene implies that acceptance relies simply on a person’s ability to communicate in the dominant language around them.[44] However, for Elisa, humanity moves beyond communication as she and the creature are “both without words, they're speechless, and [yet they are] loved.”[45]
The fairytale nature of the story is exploited as a means to humanize the creature; the viewer can look beyond his physically monstrous appearance and focus solely on his actions and behavior which we believe are synonymous with humanity. Stylistic choices, such as the romantic dream sequence between the creature and Elisa, exist as a parallel toBeauty and the Beast;[38] viewers remain in a state of heightened awareness and suspense as they wonder whether the creature will transform into a human. Unlike traditional monster-human romances, this creature “does not die, is not killed, and does not have to become human to be acceptable to others and to live happily ever after.”[44] This sentiment may offer hope to marginalized communities as it emphasizes that they do not need to assimilate in order to be accepted. Therefore, the acceptance of the creature symbolizes a “message of reflection, acceptance, and embracing otherness.”[44]
The film is structured so that we determine humanity through people’s treatment of the creature. If he is a symbol of the Other, Elisa views humanity as compassion and acceptance, regardless of visible differences. For Strickland, that which is different is a threat to his way of living.[42] Furthermore, this film delivers shades of gray through Zelda and Giles; they eventually grow to accept the monster, which can be parallel to an openness to learn and understand others to find that they are much more like us than we previously believed.
By occupying a place in society as something Other, the creature becomes a “metaphorical device for investigating issues involving power, agency, and the boundaries that define and delineate what is human and non-human.”[42] Therefore, del Toro’s humanization of the monstrous is necessary to contrast Strickland’s emergence as the moral monster.[41] For example, in the scene where the creature is tortured by Strickland with the use of anelectric cattle prod, viewers are disgusted by the gruesome act of violence perpetrated by the government official while also feeling sympathy for the creature. These sentiments are not only exacerbated by Strickland’s explicit indifference but are also influenced by the human-like behavior of the creature.[46] Immediately, the senselessness of violence demonstrated calls into question Strickland’s humanity and morality.
Viewers are left with a visceral sense of fear and discomfort with the animalistic nature and brutality of Strickland’s actions.[41] This recurring violence becomes a tool to emphasize his monstrosity and solidifies his place as a moral rather than a biological monster.[41] Moreover, Strickland’s monstrosity is a product of thedominant culture; his status in society (as a cisgender, heterosexual White man) “prevents him from examining his flaws,”[42] thus allowing him to inflict violence without reproach. This violence and oppression in the film are synonymous with aggression and marginalization of populations in real life.
Though the film is lauded for its representation of a strong woman with a disability, its main criticism surrounds the romantic relationship between Elisa and the monster. While one can understand del Toro’s intention to find beauty in the Other,[38] viewers find it unfortunate that the messaging could also be seen as the person with a disability is so different from the rest of society that they are unable to gain respect, love, and admiration from anybody but a ‘monster’.[46] Activists with disabilities such asDominick Evans believe that “[the film] says to [them] that without being cured, [they're] not going to be loved or worthwhile to another human being.”[47] This is furthered by the end scene of the film, as Elisa and the creature appear to leave our world behind. Critics emphasize that despite the romance of the fairytale, this film can be interpreted as “if [people with disabilities] don't fit into society, it's better that [they] leave.”[47] For many, the film is a beautiful take on a love story in which marginalized people find power, strength, and love, while for others, the film leaves them questioning their own place and humanity in the eyes of society.
The Shape of Water grossed $63.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $131.4 million in other countries, for a total of $195.2 million.[5]
After grossing $4.6 million over a three-week limited release, the film began its wide release on December 22, 2017, alongside the openings ofDownsizing,Pitch Perfect 3 andFather Figures, and the wide expansion ofDarkest Hour, and grossed $3 million from 726 theaters over the weekend, and $4.4 million over the four-day Christmas frame.[48] The following weekend, the film made $3.5 million.[49] The weekend of January 27, 2018, following the announcement of the film's 13 Oscar nominations, the film was added to over 1,000 theaters (for a total of 1,854) and made $5.9 million (an increase of 171% over the previous week's $2.2 million), finishing 8th.[50] The weekend of March 9–11, following its four Oscar wins, the film made an additional $2.4 million. It marked a 64% increase from the previous week's $1.5 million and was similar to the $2.5 million made by the previous year's Best Picture winner,Moonlight.[51]
Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 92% based on 465 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Shape of Water finds Guillermo del Toro at his visually distinctive best—and matched by an emotionally absorbing story brought to life by a stellar Sally Hawkins performance."[52] OnMetacritic, the film has aweighted average score of 87 out of 100, based on 53 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[53] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave it positive reviews; audience members under the age of 40 gave the film an average grade of either "A+" or "A", while those over 40 gave it an "A" to "A−", on an A+ to F scale;[54]PostTrak reported that filmgoers gave the film an overall positive score of 80%.[55]
Ben Croll ofIndieWire gave the film an 'A' rating and called it "one of del Toro's most stunningly successful works... also a powerful vision of a creative master feeling totally, joyously free."[56] Writing forRolling Stone,Peter Travers gave the film three and a half out of four stars, praising Hawkins's performance, the cinematography and del Toro's direction, and saying: "Even as the film plunges into torment and tragedy, the core relationship between these two unlikely lovers holds us in thrall. Del Toro is a world-class film artist. There's no sense trying to analyze how he does it."[57] For theMinnesota Daily, Haley Bennett reacted positively, writing, "The Shape of Water has tenderness uncommon to del Toro films. ... WhileThe Shape of Water isn't groundbreaking, it is elegant and mesmerizing."[11]
Rex Reed of theNew York Observer gave the film one out of four stars, calling it "a loopy, lunkheaded load of drivel" and that "the whole movie is off the wall". Reed's review was criticized for referring to Hawkins's mute character as "mentally handicapped" and for falsely crediting actorBenicio del Toro (spelled Benecio) as the film's director. Reed also stated Benicio was Spanish, whereas he is Puerto Rican; Guillermo del Toro hails from Mexico.[58]
The film also sparked some debate about whether it should have been eligible for aCanadian Screen Awards nomination, as it was filmed in Canada with a predominantly Canadian crew and many Canadian actors in supporting roles. UnderAcademy of Canadian Cinema and Television rules, to qualify for CSA nominations under the rules for international coproductions, at least 15 percent of a film's funding must come from a Canadian film studio. Even the film's Canadian co-producer,J. Miles Dale, stated that he supports the rules and does not believe the film should have been eligible.[65]The Shape of Water also appeared on many critics' year-end top-ten lists, of which 25 critics chose it as their favorite film of that year.[66] A novelization by del Toro and Kraus was published on March 6, 2018.[67]
In 2025, it was one of the films voted for the "Readers' Choice" edition ofThe New York Times' list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century," finishing at number 227.[68]
In February 2018, the estate ofPaul Zindel initiated a lawsuit inUnited States District Court for the Central District of California against director Guillermo del Toro and associate producer Daniel Kraus, alleging thatThe Shape of Water "brazenly copies the story, elements, characters, and themes" of Zindel's 1969 work "Let Me Hear You Whisper", which depicts a cleaning lady bonding with a dolphin and attempting to rescue it from a secret research laboratory's nefarious uses.[69] The complaint spends more than a dozen pages detailing alleged "overwhelming similarities" between the works.[70] Del Toro denied the claim of the Zindel estate, saying that "I have never read nor seen the play. I'd never heard of this play before makingThe Shape of Water, and none of my collaborators ever mentioned the play." DistributorFox Searchlight also denied the claim and said that it would "vigorously defend" itself in court.[71]
In July 2018, Judge Percy Anderson dismissed the suit and stated that del Toro and Fox Searchlight were entitled to recover their legal costs.[72] On April 5, 2021, the following statement by plaintiff was released: "David Zindel, the son of Paul Zindel, author ofLet Me Hear You Whisper, acknowledges, based on confidential information obtained during the litigation process, that his claims of plagiarism are unfounded. He acknowledges Guillermo del Toro as the true creator ofThe Shape of Water. Any similarity between the two works is coincidental."[73]
There have also been accusations thatThe Shape of Water plagiarisedAmphibian Man, a 1962Soviet film based on a 1928novel of the same name byAlexander Belyaev.[74][75]Indie Cinema Magazine noted that both have a similar plot, the use of the name "Amphibian Man" in both films, the Soviet connection in both stories, and the 1962 setting.[74]Amphibian Man was one of thehighest-grossing Soviet films of all time, with up to 100million box office admissions in the Soviet Union.[76]
The film also received accusations of plagiarism byJean-Pierre Jeunet, the French director of the romantic comedyAmélie and the cult classicDelicatessen,[77] who claimed that del Toro plagiarized some of the scenes within his worksAmelie,Delicatessen, andThe City of Lost Children.[78] Other observers vehemently disagree with Jeunet's assertion.[79] Jeunet pointed out some of the similarities in the saturation of the colours, overall art direction and the use ofanthropomorphic objects, as well as the music, which is reminiscent ofYann Tiersen's soundtrack on the former. Responding to Jeunet's accusations of plagiarism, del Toro cited the influences ofTerry Gilliam's works as the inspiration forThe Shape of Water.[78] Both composer Alexandre Desplat and del Toro have cited French composerGeorges Delerue,[80] whose work predates Tiersen's by decades, as the inspiration for the musical score. Desplat has also emphasized the importance of water as essential to both the score and to the themes of the film itself.[81]
While covering the plagiarism accusations from Jeunet and Zindel, comparisons were also drawn betweenThe Shape of Water and the 2015 short film "The Space Between Us", the latter of which was created by Marc S. Nollkaemper as a student project at theNetherlands Film Academy.[82][83] Outlets reported that both films held a similar premise, that of a janitorial worker falling in love with an amphibious man held captive at a research facility, as well as other similarities such as the time period as well as "scenes in which the woman feeds the creature and dances to records in front of it; and rescue missions, both involving laundry carts, devised after plans to kill and dissect the creatures come to light."[84][85] After screening a copy ofThe Shape of Water, the Netherlands Film Academy and students issued a statement acknowledging the films as uniquely different and that "They have separate timelines of development and are not in any conceivable way interlinked or related."[86]
^"2017 Feature Film Study"(PDF).FilmL.A. Feature Film Study: 25. August 8, 2018.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 9, 2018. RetrievedAugust 14, 2018.
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