Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of blood, ghosts in highly stylized gothic chiller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Crimson Peak
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Based on 31 kid reviews
Kids say the movie presents a mix of gothic romance and horror elements, featuring a deep storyline with strong performances but also includes graphic violence, brief sexual content, and themes like incest. While many enjoy its beautiful cinematography and intricate plot, potential viewers should consider their maturity level and sensitivity to gore, as it contains numerous violent scenes that may not be suitable for younger audiences.
- graphic violence
- brief sexual content
- gothic romance
- strong performances
- suitability varies
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In CRIMSON PEAK, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) lives in turn-of-the-20th-century New York and wants to be a writer; she likes to pen ghost stories. A friendly ophthalmologist (Charlie Hunnam) loves her, but she instead falls for the mysterious Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), who's trying to raise money to mine the special red clay that lies underneath his property in England. When Edith's father suddenly dies, she goes away with Thomas and his sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain), to the Sharpe family mansion -- an awesome, awful place filled with black butterflies; seeping red goop; groaning, breathing corridors; forbidden rooms; and ghosts. As Edith grows strangely weaker, she tries to discover the ghosts' secrets.
Is It Any Good?
Director Guillermo Del Toro is capable of exploring the true depths of the disturbing, but here he seems more preoccupied with a magnificent ghost house design. It's all surface, but what a surface! With its swirling leaves, black butterflies, white snow, and blood-red clay, the mansion is one of the most impressive things ever designed for a scary movie, and the ghosts (embodied by actor Doug Jones) are hideously misshapen, sending a chill down your spine.
Crimson Peak is inspired by 19th-century literature and is borrowed from dark Hollywood romances like Gaslight and Notorious. It's a tribute to days gone by, but Del Toro never really gets inside it; we don't know his feelings, or why these things haunt him. Nevertheless, the actors are all fine (especially Hiddleston, who looks like he was born for this time period). It's more stylish than profound -- it's closer to Hellboy II: The Golden Army than to Pan's Labyrinth -- but it's still quite an experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Crimson Peak's bloody violence. How intense is it? How did it affect you? How are the bloody attacks different from the ghost scenes? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of scary movies? How is this movie similar to or different from other horror movies you've seen?
What's shocking or out-of-place about the movie's sexual content? What is shown and not shown? How is sex treated?
How does Del Toro use colors in the movie? What do the colors evoke when you see them?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 16, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : February 9, 2016
- Cast : Charlie Hunnam , Jessica Chastain , Tom Hiddleston , Mia Wasikowska
- Director : Guillermo Del Toro
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Director(s) , Mexican Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 119 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violence, some sexual content and brief strong language
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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