Have you ever had a co-worker who you really liked as a person, but their work was sub-par? This creates an awkward situation. You enjoy speaking with them, but at some point, you're going to have to critique their performance. This is how I feel about Guillermo del Toro. I admire the fact that he is a true devotee of science fiction and horror. When he talks about these genres, I don't doubt that he knows what he's talking about. But, while he can talk a good game, I've never truly loved a movie that he's directed. They each have their bright spots, but they don't work as a whole. But, when del Toro announced that he was making a haunted house movie, I must admit that I was interested, as this is a genre which needs more quality films. Does Crimson Peak change my opinion on del Toro?

Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) is a smart, opinionated young woman, who eschews the trappings of high society in turn of the century Buffalo, New York, despite the fact that her father, Carter Cushing (Jim Beaver), is a successful businessman. Edith is delighted to learn that her dear friend, Dr. Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam) has returned from a trip abroad. Meanwhile, Englishman Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) has come to America seeking funding for is new mining machine. Despite the fact that his presentation to Mr. Cushing doesn't go well, he still appears at a society function with his sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain). Edith is immediately attracted to Thomas and their whirlwind courtship results in marriage, despite Carter's objections. The newlyweds travel to Thomas' ancestral home in England, which is a decaying mansion. Edith attempts to make herself at home, but she Lucille is very cold towards her. Even worse, Edith begins to find evidence around the house that Thomas and Lucille may be hiding a deadly secret.

Well, Crimson Peak isn't a haunted house movie or a horror movie, as the advertisements implied, then what is it? It's a period-piece gothic romance....and not a very good one at that. Take away the brief appearances by the ghosts and one brutal murder, and all that's left is a sweeping romance which turns into a thriller towards the end. The movie can be broken down into three sections: we have the meet-cute with Edith and Thomas, their move to England, and the revelation of secrets. The story unfolds at a very natural pace, but then del Toro and co-writer Matthew Robbins simply tip their hat far too early. Even the most novice film-goer will figure out the "twist" about halfway through the movie and then it's a matter of going throw the motions and waiting for the ending. (And I won't call this a plothole, but I had a huge problem with the fact that Edith, who grew up in the lap of luxury, wouldn't have a problem with the situation in which her new husband was asking her to movie into a house which was missing part of its roof!)

Crimson Peak offer more symbolism than actual story on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film has been letterboxed at 1.85:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average of 30 Mbps. The image is very sharp and clear, showing no notable grain and no defects from the source materials. The colors look fantastic, most notably the reds (as one would hope) and the image is never overly dark or bright. The depth is quite impressive and the foreground and background are clearly separate and the image is never soft. The Disc carries a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track which runs at 48 kHz and an average of 6.0 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. This is a muscular track which really takes off once the action moves to the old house. We get a very nice mixture of surround sound and stereo effects, as noises come from all over the house. The sounds are very distinct and nicely separated. Subwoofer effects punctuate the (few) horror and action scenes, but never overwhelm the dialogue.

The Crimson Peak Blu-ray Disc contains several extra features. We begin with an AUDIO COMMENTARY from Co-Writer/Director Guillermo Del Toro. The Disc contains five DELETED SCENES which run about 4 minutes. All of these are brief and don't introduce any new characters or subplots. "I Remember Crimson Peak" is a four-part series -- "The Gothic Corridor" (4 minutes), "The Scullery" (4 minutes), "The Red Clay Mines" (5 minutes), and "The Limbo Fog Set" (6 minutes) -- which focuses on specific sets in the film and what they represent. "A Primer on Gothic Romance" (6 minutes) has Del Toro and the cast discussing the definition of "gothic romance" and how the sub-genre grew. "The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak" (8 minutes) examines the look of the film, beginning with the re-creation of old Buffalo, and then moving into how Buffalo differed from the house in England. This includes some concept art and views of the sets. "Hand Tailored Gothic" (9 minutes) has Costume Designer Kate Hawley and Del Toro look at the costumes and how each character had a theme in their clothing. "A Living Thing" (12 minutes) provides an overview of the design of Allerdale Hall and how it was created to meet Del Toro's vision. "Beware of Crimson Peak" (8 minutes) has Hiddleston providing a tour of the sets, proclaiming them to be the most impressive that he's seen. (Even more than Thor?). We see how the ghosts were designed and created in "Crimson Phantoms" (7 minutes).

On January 15, 2019, Arrow Video released a new edition of Crimson Peak on Blu-ray Disc. The film has been letterboxed at 1.85:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average of 24 Mbps. The image is very sharp and clear, showing no overt grain and no defects from the source materials. The colors look very good, most notably the key red tones, and the image is never overly dark or light. The level of detail is excellent and the image is never soft. The depth also works quite well, which is important in a film which has so many long corridors.

The new Blu-ray Disc from Arrow contains the same extras found on the Universal release, as well as the following new special features. “The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak” (50 minutes) is a new documentary which features interviews with del Toro, some of the cast and some of the design crew – interviews which were done at the time of production. The piece focuses on the construction of the sets and provides another look at the role which the house played in the film. “An Interview with Guillermo del Toro” (9 minutes) is a previously unseen chat with the director, who speaks in Spanish here. “Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance” (18 minutes) is a new interview with the renowned film critic who gives his views on the film and it’s place in gothic storytelling. “Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films” (24 minutes) has author Kat Ellinger giving her view on Crimson Peak, as well as The Devil’s Backbone, and Pan’s Labyrinth. The Disc includes two TRAILERS and two TV Spots. The final extra is an IMAGE GALLERY.