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Uncomfortable with her new surroundings, suspicious of her stepfather and desperately concerned about the worsening condition of her mother, Ophelia uncovers a strange alternative world, and the chance to escape forever the pain and uncertainty of her everyday life. Thus the film alternates between the world of Civil War Spain and the increasingly bizarre, dark and frightening world of the Pan's Labyrinth. As the twin plots progress, they intertwine, with the tasks of Ofelia becoming the choices faced by a Spain at the crossroads. The poignancy of the film lies partly in the fact that the victories of the child are reflected so starkly by the failures of the adult world. Apparently Pan's Labyrinth won a 20-minute standing ovation at Cannes, when it was shown. This may be a little bit over the top. I suspect when the furore has died down some will choose to swing the pendulum back and criticize it for its more obvious faults. Much of the film is derivative. There are few ideas in the film's magical dreamworld that haven't been seen before. For all the evident truth of these observations, to accept them would be to entirely miss the majesty of "Pan's Labyrinth", which doesn't lie in its originality, but in its absolute mastery of execution. People will watch the film in a way that most will not "Land and Freedom". In doing so, they will also discover a world of fairy tales which existed before "Disney" sunk its claws into them: a dangerous world, where nothing is as it seems and every step is a possible death – a place which may leave even adults shivering under a table, part in terror, part in wonder. I'm going to give this film a 4/5, partly because the content was extremely cruel a moments and didn't require focusing so much upon the vanity and cruelty of the Captain. IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEW PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING. THANKS!Read full review
I saw Pan's Labyrinth at a screening in Waco and it's everything they're saying it is. Truly Del Toro's best. He gave a Q&A and said that it's the sister piece to Devil's Backbone, and it really is. If you enjoyed that, you'll love this. Without giving away the story, which unfolds wonderfully, it's the tale of a girl who lives in a land of fairy tales while the Franco regime is fighting the last rebels in the hills. It counterpoints the political upheaval and coming fascism with her idealism, scene by scene just as Backbone did. STUNNING visual effects and production design with layers upon layers of details, I found a tad reminiscent of the best parts of Hellboy but with far more heart. Beautiful and poignant – highly recommended. Don’t wait for the DVD. Go see it on a big screen wherever you can and here’s hoping it gets wide release. I’m definitely renting it when it comes out, but I’ll probably go see it again too.Read full review
This film is a fantasy, with sadistic elements. It is quite violent and shocking at times. The story revolves around a young girl, Ofelia, whose mother is pregnant by her new husband to be, the sadistic Captain Vidal, a fascist officer. The setting is about 1944. In addition to the deceiving captain who shows little human decency to anyone including Ofelia and her mother is Pan, a satyr from the labryinth behind the mill, who tries to convince Ofelia that she is the long lost 'princess' of Pan's world, reincarnated. She is told that she must complete three dangerous tasks in order to prove herself. Both Pan in the fantasy world and Captain Vidal in the real world, appear to be formidable and Ofelia moves closer to the fantasy world, partially in order to escape from her cruel step-father to be. To avoid being a spoiler, I will stop now. The film is in the Spanish language with English subtitles available. It is well executed (no pun intended). It is fairly gory and I do not recommend that children under 14 see it.Read full review
I love movies that blur the line between fantasy and reality; Pan's Labyrinth, like others before it, posits that they might exist simultaneously. The film has a wonderful, touching story that runs the gamut of human emotions. It is my favorite Spanish language film of all time. Moreover, for those of us whose Espanol is no bueno, the subtitles are not distracting, as the dialogue is very simple, and much of the story is told through character action, expression, and setting. Honestly, I have to be in a certain mood to watch a film in a language I don't speak, but this is one I could watch over and over again, with or without knowing what's being said (and the last time I made such a bold statement was with Benigni's "La Vita e Bella" in 1997). I highly recommend this film, though there are some graphic scenes of violence, so parents might want to pre-screen it before letting the kiddos watch. Nonetheless, top-notch film! I'm glad it got some Oscar recognition. Rent it. Buy it. Just make sure you see it!Read full review
A truly fascinating story it's a fascinating story about good vs. evil, and the imagination of an innocent child. No wonder it won Best Foreign Film, it's amazing.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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