How Scary Is Crimson Peak? When to Close Your Eyes

Crimson Peak is one of the movies that will get you into the Halloween spirit this season, being that it's a gothic ghost story from director Guillermo del Toro. But what if you're not that into horror, but are that into stars Tom Hiddleston and Charlie Hunnam? We can break down for you how scary it is — and whether you can watch it if you're a scaredy cat. Find out if you'll like the buzzy movie starring Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Hunnam with our horror gauge below.

Blame del Toro for being such a master of visual effects. The movie has a heavy ghost theme, including main character Edith (Wasikowska) being haunted by the ghost of her own mother. Del Toro is not content for his ghosts to be wispy shadows; even his shadowy ghosts are pretty terrifying. There are also bloody ghosts that are hard to look at, if you have a hard time with gore.

The most graphic scenes are infrequent, and the two particularly violent and graphic scenes are ones you know are coming, if you've ever seen a scary movie before. That said, they are pretty gross and shocking, so if gory scenes turn your stomach, look away.

When there are no ghosts or blood present, the movie is mostly just unnerving. The house (the titular Crimson Peak) is decrepit and creepy, surrounding you with a brilliantly shivery atmosphere, and there are a couple of jump scares. If you love a thriller but not a horror movie, this — and the movie's central mystery — will enthrall you.

The bottom line: Nothing is too gratuitous, and if you're a scaredy cat, you know when bad stuff is coming, so just close your eyes. We won't tell anyone.