At the crossroads of 2001’s “Amelie” and 1954’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon” sits “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo Del Toro’s latest fantastical masterpiece.

The film is nominated for a whopping seven Academy Awards and has made over $55 million at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo. This is the second time one of Del Toro’s films has been nominated for Best Picture, following his 2007 film “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

“The Shape of Water” follows Elisa Esposito, a mute cleaning woman for a secret government agency in 1962 who rescues an anthropomorphic amphibian creature the government has captured for Cold War experimentation, played by Sally Hawkins.

“The Shape of Water,” even more so than previous works of Del Toro, requires a certain suspension of disbelief. Not only is the story surreal in nature, existing in a universe where monstrous creatures are being hidden behind closed doors, but the love story between Elisa and the creature may come off as far-fetched to those who refuse to put aside their critical faculties.

However, the relationship between the two characters is emotional, intimate and surreal in a way which comes close to a fairytale romance. Bonded by the inability to speak on the parts of both Elisa and the creature, they communicate through sign language and touch. Michael Shannon’s frightening Colonel Strickland, the head of the agency determined to dissect and torture the creature for research, makes it seem human in comparison.

This is a film about a number of things. On a surface level, it’s an atypical love story between two unlikely companions. However, upon deeper inspection, it’s about cruelty and the things man will do for power.

The Cold War makes for an excellent source of political commentary in the film, as the capture of the creature stands in for the political paranoia of the time period. Strickland reveals they have captured the creature to gain an upper hand over the Soviet Union, possibly in an attempt to exploit it to get ahead in the Space Race. The public remains unaware of anything happening at the agency, and Elisa stumbles upon it by mistake. When she learns of the plans to kill the creature once the agency is finished with it, she takes it upon herself to bring it to safety.

The character Shannon brings to life on screen is a special kind of menace, both resembling a comic book villain and blending in with the realistic characters in the film. With bulging eyes and chiling line deliveries, Shannon’s Colonel embodies male abuse of power in more ways than one. He is shown coming on to Elisa, sexually harassing her in a rare moment where she’s not accompanied by her coworker Zelda, played by Octavia Spencer. The ever-present threat of Strickland makes the romance between her and the creature seem all the more genuine, as with the creature, she feels as though she’s with someone with whom she shares a mutual kindness and intimacy.

Visually, the film is gorgeous, using a palate of almost entirely greens and blues. The attention to detail in the set design creates a believable 1960s atmosphere. The film would act as a nearly accurate period piece if it weren’t for the six-feet-tall fish monster, of course.

In “The Shape of Water,” Del Toro does it all—he delivers a piece of visual artwork, strong political and social commentary and a love story for those who don’t shy away from the strange and extraordinary.