Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

El Laberinto del Fauno

Country of Origin: Mexico

Primary Audio Language: Spanish

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Film Length: 1h 59m

Synopsis: In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

Star Rating: ★★★★★

Review: Highly recommended to any fan of historical or high-fantasy films, especially if you appreciate a more serious twist. Pan’s Labryinth is a dark fairy tale with breathtaking practical special effects (mainly makeup, prosthetics, and animatronics) depicting the effects of war on children; this movie is both amazing and intriguing, definitely worth a watch.

This was probably the first non-anime related subtitled film I ever watch and I knew it had to be included in this project from the beginning. Prior to this re-watch, I was mildly concerned the special effects wouldn’t stand the test of time, but Guillermo del Toro’s skills remain unmatched (his most recent/popular works include the Hellboy series, The Hobbit Triology, Pacific Rim, The Shape of Water, and upcoming Pinocchio Netflix film).

[Minor Spoilers] Taking place in the war-torn Spain of 1944, the 10 year old main protagonist, Ofelia (played by Ivana Baquero), moves into her step-father’s house with her sick and pregnant mother. Her stepfather is a captain of the nationalistic Francoist regime, responsible for hunting down members of the Spanish Maquis rebellion. He is stoic and cruel, causing Ofelia to often escape to the nearby woods for reprieve from his disapproval, it is there she discovers the entrance to the magical labryrinth and the world within.

There, Ofelia learns of an immortal princess who lived in the underground realm, where “neither lies nor pain exist,” but who dreamed of the human world. The Princess escaped her kingdom to explore earth, but she suffered and died. Ofelia is told she is the reincarnation of that princess and given three tasks to complete in order to take her rightful place, but the tasks become increasingly complicated to complete, and she begins to question if they can even be trusted. On the surface her life with her mother and stepfather also become increasingly difficult, and when both parts of her two worlds collide, disaster occurs.

The ending of the movie leaves room for debate as to what actually happens and is the truth, and I believe it says something of the viewer as to which side of the interpretation they choose to believe. This movie is worth a watch just to discover what side of that line you fall on yourself.

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Available On: Netflix

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