The association between Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities and Del Toro makes it clear to viewers that this is no ordinary horror show. Despite not directing any of the eight short films in this anthology series, the Oscar-winning director has handpicked directors and writers to do the job while leaving their creative imprint intact.
The first two episodes were released on Netflix on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, as part of the network's new strategy of releasing two episodes per day until Halloween. The first episode, Lot 36, was an honest attempt to use emotions and human actions to comment on complex themes like "karma." And so was the second episode, Graveyard Rats.
However, we are here to talk about the debut episode of Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, which was directed by Guillermo Navarro.
Read on for a more detailed review of Lot 36.
Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities episode 1 review: Is it really possible to escape the cliches of the genre?
Guillermo Del Toro, one of the horror industry's biggest names, clearly wanted to break cliches with Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. As intriguing as the prospect sounds, it is far more difficult due to the genre's limitations in some ways. But you can count on the man to take on a challenge.
The episode, which is introduced by Del Toro, begins with an air of unsettling menace, but not enough to scare or make viewers uncomfortable. However, it is entirely up to the individual viewers to decide whether this is a disadvantage. Soon after, we meet the main character, Nick (Tim Blake Nelson), a man who appears to have little regard for others and buys abandoned storage spaces and sells the contents in it to make a profit.
After obtaining full storage space, he refuses to allow its owner to take anything from it. Soon after, Nick discovers some items in the lot that pique his interest. As he tries to maximize the value of his discovered items, things begin to deteriorate.
This episode keeps its scary moments until the very end, and by then, they are rather predictable. This is a story about human ignorance and Karma. Nick is trapped with a demon that he unintentionally released, and the only person who could have helped him was the lot's owner. But Nick had crossed those lines.
This episode was a lesson in human behavior, if not frightening, and it featured some fantastic horror elements, both visually and in the script. There were a few unsettling moments, as well as a completely contradictory premise. Many people will appreciate its subtle approach, but many will be left wanting more.
Those who want more from Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities will be more than satisfied with the second episode titled Graveyard Rats.
The first two episodes of Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities are now streaming on Netflix.