Nothing unites and electrifies the film world more than an esteemed auteur making their grand return to theaters. As cinema becomes increasingly inundated with soulless reboots, remakes, and franchises, cinephiles are realizing that truly visionary filmmakers are in short supply. With several decades of solid work in his filmography, Guillermo del Toro's seat at the table among the greatest living directors is not only reserved but sectioned off with velvet ropes.
Adding to his already dense catalog of classics, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, which debuts on Netflix today, already looks to be one of the director's finest films. Which begs the question: what is del Toro's best film? Here's Complex's list of the 10 best Guillermo del Toro movies, ranked.
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10.Blade 2
Blade 2 is not a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination. However, Blade 2's place as number 10 on this list speaks to the staggering level of quality that awaits in the next nine slots. Picking up after Stephen Norrington's 1998 smash hit Blade, Blade 2 finds Wesley Snipes' eponymous vampire hunter facing off against a newer and deadlier variant of vampires. Although the special effects and fight scenes deliver, Blade 2 feels like a preliminary sketch for the future masterpieces that del Toro would paint throughout his career. Plus, del Toro's filmography includes better comic book movies.
9.Pacific Rim
One of Guillermo del Toro's greatest strengths is his love of genre filmmaking and the foresight it affords him. Although the Transformers series was already in full swing in the early 2010s, Hollywood still had reservations about giant robots and kaiju carrying the box office. Pacific Rim changed all of that. As a love letter to anime, Godzilla, and 80s action movies, Pacific Rim is a film that shouldn't work, but surprisingly does. Centering on the pilots of a giant "jaeger" robot known as Gispy Danger, Pacific Rim tells the story of humanity's last stand against hordes of towering kaijus.
8.Hellboy
As other entries on this list will prove, Guillermo del Toro is at his best when he's working on creature features. With Hellboy, based on the Dark Horse comic by the legendary Mike Mignola, del Toro not only gets to work on a slew of creatures using practical effects, but he also gets to blend horror and action. Hellboy focuses on the titular investigator for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense as he helps save the world and uncovers mysteries about his hazy past. Like Blade 2, Hellboy feels like a terrific warm-up act for del Toro's upcoming offerings.
7.Crimson Peak
Guillermo del Toro's newly released Frankenstein flick has captivated fans for a variety of reasons. Chief among the reasons above is that Frankenstein is del Toro's return to the gothic horror genre. With his 2015 film Crimson Peak, del Toro took fans on a delightfully macabre journey into the world of gothic horror where ghosts run rampant. Crimson Peak stars Mia Wasikowska as Edith Cushing, who navigates a twisted romance with Sir Thomas Sharpe, expertly played by Marvel's Avengers star Tom Hiddleston. Although Crimson Peak is a visually arresting and star-studded affair, a predictable script hampers the movie's true potential.
6.Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Taking the strange world of Hellboy in wild and expansive new directions, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is Guillermo del Toro's finest comic book film. Without the burden of establishing a new character, del Toro leans into the insanity of Hellboy's world and creates a visual feast, replete with several stunning practical effects, that signaled his continued evolution as a directorial force. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army follows the world's favorite disgruntled paranormal investigator as he aims to prevent the return of a mythical, unbeatable army. The movie is so beloved that Hellboy fans are still hoping for a sequel.
5.Nightmare Alley
Versatility is an underrated strength in creative endeavors. Most directors typically root themselves in a particular time period or genre. While horror usually shades almost every project Guillermo del Toro undertakes, his ability to traverse eras and subgenres provides a unique texture to his filmography. Take the 2021 remake of Nightmare Alley, for example. Despite being a financial flop, Nightmare Alley is one of del Toro's most confidently created and expertly executed movies. Blending his command of horror concepts with a neo-noir patina, Nightmare Alley takes a cast replete with stars and imbues them with a pinch of the noir genre's signature pulp.
4.Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Pinocchio, crafting a distinct vision that feels both fitting and fresh is a massive challenge. Especially in the case of Pinocchio, as Disney's classic animated film is most people's strongest association with the character. However, leave it to Guillermo del Toro's idiosyncratic approach to filmmaking to create an instantly memorable version of the iconic wooden puppet. Utilizing the skills that brought him to the dance, such as a meticulous eye for detail, del Toro created a stop-motion masterpiece that feels as definitive as any version of Pinocchio.
3.The Devil's Backbone
Although he would return to the themes in The Devil's Backbone with the next film on this list, the movie marked a turning point in del Toro's career. The care and intentionality del Toro showed in the lengthy process of creating The Devil's Backbone are stunningly evident in the film's final cut. With drafts of the film dating back to the early 90s in del Toro's sketchbook, 2001's The Devil's Backbone feels both personal and visionary. Set in the Spanish Civil War, The Devil's Backbone is about an orphaned boy who finds lodging in an odd school haunted by ghosts.
2.Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth might be the film that audiences and historians remember Guillermo del Toro for more than any other entry into his filmography. At once, Pan's Labyrinth distills del Toro's visual sensibilities, technical obsessions, and narrative trademarks into a dark fairy tale that is essential viewing for any serious film fan. With its heavy reliance on practical effects, Pan's Labyrinth possesses a timeless quality that few films of its era can match. Following a young girl in 40s Spain who undergoes an Alice in Wonderland-esque journey, Pan's Labyrinth is touching, tragic, and will undoubtedly create new devotees of del Toro.
1.The Shape of Water
Sticking to your passions is one thing, but using said passions to fuel an acclaimed career is another. Aside from being arguably del Toro's most celebrated film, The Shape of Water is also arguably the most definitive del Toro film. Mixing everything from the director's love of movie monsters, practical effects, and showcasing both the sincerity and savagery dwelling in every human heart, The Shape of Water earned del Toro a bevy of awards, including an Oscar for best picture and director. The Shape of Water might feature an aquatic creature, but the film soars above Guillermo del Toro's catalog of films.