The Shape of Water

Play trailer

2:20

The Shape of Water

R,

2017,

2h 3m,

Fantasy/

Drama/

Romance/

Sci-Fi

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92%

465 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

25,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

465 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works in a hidden, high-security government laboratory. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret -- a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank.

Critics Consensus

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.

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Chris Bennion

The Times (UK)

Feb 14, 2023

You’ll either be charmed by Hawkins’s ethereal, wordless performance or you won’t, but del Toro’s use of a vivid colour palette would impress anyone.

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Anupama Chopra

Film Companion

Sep 6, 2018

4/5

The Shape of Water is visionary filmmaking.

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Robert Daniels

812filmreviews

Sep 5, 2018

3.5/4

So, while we know Elisa has humanity, Del Toro has to plead his case for the fish-man.

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Matt Oakes

Silver Screen Riot

Oct 14, 2026

A

Fans of esoteric erotica, prepare to swoon.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 27, 2025

3/4

If The Shape of Water never quite breaks out of the confines of what's basically a tale as old as time, it's still an artfully executed diversion further strengthened by an excellent central performance by Hawkins.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 28, 2025

4/5

Fantastical triumphs of mortal spirit over evil forces are applied to inhuman oddities with jarringly violent consequences.

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Poe S

Apr 25, 2019

Too well-crafted sometimes it feels emotionally mechanic.

Finn W

Apr 23, 2019

I'm a big DelTorro fan. This movie was very well made. The characters, engaging, the acting excellent. I'm not a love story fan, however, but this was not too bad.

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Luke R

Apr 22, 2019

I get it, but just because is different, does make it necessary good art.

Leia M

Apr 22, 2019

Possibly one of the weirdest love stories I have ever watched! Good acting nevertheless!

Han L

Apr 17, 2019

this movie predictable it just like his oher movies

Theodore P

Apr 16, 2019

This is the dumbest movie I've ever seen. Godzilla is more realistic. It was just plain stupid.

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Guillermo del Toro

Director

Sally Hawkins

Elisa Esposito

Michael Shannon

Richard Strickland

Richard Jenkins

Giles

Octavia Spencer

Zelda Fuller

Michael Stuhlbarg

Dr. Robert Hoffstetler

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Synopsis

Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works in a hidden, high-security government laboratory. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret -- a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank.

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Producer: Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale
Screenwriter: Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: TSG Entertainment, Double Dare You
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Nudity|Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 23, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $63.3M
Runtime: 2h 3m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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