Nightmare Alley is beautifully shot Guillermo del Toro style, even though the story is just a bit too simple for his style!!!

Real Rating:

4 Carnies

What I Like:

-The style of Guillermo del Toro is there on full display, even though it is not as scary as his past movies, but it is definitely creepy, especially the carnival scenes where the set productions were great, del Toro’s vision is definitely there
-Bradley Cooper still impresses me, and in this role, it is no different, his mix of seriousness, charm, and insanity really mixes well in this role

The So So:

-del Toro may not have weird creatures or monsters, which is dearly missed, but he went with a more psychological approach which was still creepy and mysterious, in the end it pretty much worked out

What I Didn’t Like:

-The ending is not what I expected for a del Toro movie, and it is the real missing piece to this film
-There are some slow points in this that does make a two and a half hour movie drag

Overall:

This is still a visionary film from Guillermo del Toro with practically all the fixings he brings. However, the real missing ingredient is some sort of scary or peculiar monster, instead it was a psychological thriller that still felt a bit bland. With all that said, it is still creepy and the production designs are still on point. Plus Bradley Cooper still continues to impress. In the end, I felt like something was missing. A dessert for this full course meal which can be disappointing!!!

Real Rating:

4 Carnies