Following a bloody civil war, young Ofelia enters a world of unimaginable cruelty when she moves in with her new stepfather, a tyrannical military officer. Armed with only her imagination, Ofelia discovers a mysterious lab... more »yrinth and meets a faun who sets her on a path to saving herself and her ailing mother. But soon, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and before Ofelia can turn back, she finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between good and evil.« less
Craig S. (InnerMacro) from WAUSAU, WI Reviewed on 4/30/2022...
The cover quotes a critic saying the movie is like Lord of the Rings, but I think that's a pretty poor comparison. It's essentially a fairy tale interwoven with violent and gruesome actions, both in the real world, and within the girl's imagination . . . or is it her imagination? The labyrinth itself plays a relatively small role in the film. The best part is the faun (or Pan if you prefer) and I felt the use of Spanish made him seem more interesting - maybe if I spoke Spanish, he wouldn't seem as cool, but I thought the voice acting and CG mannerisms were pretty good. Overall, a fairly solid film and the political backdrop of WWII-era Spain does not completely overshadow the plot as it pertains to the girl and her fairy tale.
1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Murdock U. (Radar) from SILVER CITY, NM Reviewed on 1/24/2018...
This happened with me also a dvd I got on here called:
The Orphanage
I didn't know it was in Spanish and you can't change it to English like some movies you can I don't want to read subtitles I would have to keep pausing the movie to read what they say before it changes to something else their saying and subtitles give me a big headache and cause my seizures too.
So if I wanted to watch it. It wouldn't have subtitles on it and it would just be a silent movie.
Not fun.
I can't star rate this movie because i've never seen it and if they don't have this movie in English I will not watch it. So to me it might be a good movie but I won't watch it unless they put in English and not subtitles.
1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
George K. from COLCHESTER, CT Reviewed on 4/28/2013...
Lovely movie about a hideous time in the world. A young girl's fantasies free her from the ugliest reality and make her heartbreaking end a little less painful, but I still have tears in my eyes every time I watch the movie.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Heather T. (htinsley) from ANDALUSIA, AL Reviewed on 11/17/2010...
I love this movie. Sorry I will never repost it!
1 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Melissa H. Reviewed on 9/18/2010...
This is a wonderful movie; however, the ending left me depressed. It was so upsetting I wish I had never seen it.
3 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Brad S. (Snibot) from DALLAS, TX Reviewed on 1/12/2010...
I had a surprise when I discovered that the movie was in Spanish, but much like "Iron Monkey" this movie delivers. The movie is in Spanish because it is in Spain ... makes sense, and it helps move the story along, it also adds to some dramatic points, when you start to think, maybe this isn't so possible, the realism pulls you back in.
Captain Vidal played by Sergio Lopez is an amazing villain. You know those movies where you sometimes start rooting for the bad guy? This isn't one of them. Pretty much from his first scene, you want this guy to get it. He is the most horrible kind of movie villain, he is the one that is only so possible, and probably was based off a real person (maybe even toned down a little.)
Ofelia played by Ivana Baquero is a magnificent heroine, she is strong, independent, and a little foolish but hey she's a little girl. There is a reason why she won a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Young Actor.
Well written, well acted, well conceived. This picture won an Oscar for Best Art in Direction - the fantasy scenes had a very real feel to it, I was very impressed. Another Oscar for Best Achievement in Cinematography - the whole movie was amazing, all of the scenery felt like location, colors were crisp. Another Oscar for Best Achievement in Makeup ... I'm a guy, I don't notice makeup.
I don't throw out a lot of recommendations this movie is one of them, if you avoid movies because they are subtitled, you are doing yourself a disservice. Many fantastic movies were done in foreign languages, and dub overs loose so much of the original work. I don't find myself agreeing with a whole lot of the Oscar movie wins, but this one was SPOT ON! Amazing and fantastic, watch it.
5 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Anick L. from COLUMBIA, SC Reviewed on 10/26/2009...
I did not care for this movie overall. I think it would have been much better without the gratuitous and graphic violence. The fantasy parts are short and scattered and were the highlights of the movie. It could be a much better movie. I felt the ending was rushed. BY the way the movie is in Spanish!
4 of 10 member(s) found this review helpful.
Mike H. (ezekielrage) from FAIRBORN, OH Reviewed on 10/25/2009...
Great movie. Very creative, and there is a lot of impressive imagery.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Jason C. (JJC) from NEWARK, NJ Reviewed on 8/28/2008...
Guillermo del Toro could very well be the next Genre Director Icon, among Lucas, Spielberg, Cameron and Jackson.
"Pan's Labyrinth" is a masterpiece. Both an riveting fairy tale and a solid wartime drama.
Set in 1944 against the postwar repression of Franco's Spain, "Pan's Labyrinth" tells the story of Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a lonely and dreamy child living with her mother (Ariadna Gil) and her newly adoptive father (a fantastic and menacing Sergi Lopez), a military Captain tasked with ridding the area of rebels. In her loneliness, Ofelia creates a world filled with fantastical creatures and secret destinies. With Fascism at its height and her merciless father making things extremely difficult in the real world, Ofelia must come to terms with her world through a fable of her own creation, under the guide of the bizarre yet friendly creature named Faun (Doug Jones).
First of all, a bravo is in order to Mr. Del Toro for writing a remarkable script that mixes two genres in an oddly fashion. I have been a fan of Del Toro ever since his first feature "Cronos." And with "Mimic", "The Devil's Backbone", "Blade II", "Hellboy" and now "Pan's Labyrinth", I will continue to follow his career with much anticipation. He is a force to be reckoned with. The cinematography is astonishing, capturing both wartime era Spain and an exotic mythical fantasy land.
Ivana Baquero is simply touching and gives a brave performance as Ofelia. Sergi Lopez steals the scenes he's in and gives an amazing performance as the ruthless Captain Vidal, determined to make life surround him, a performance that somewhat mirrors Ralph Fiennes' in "Schindler's List." One of the best screen villains of late.
I urge you all to do yourselves a favor and see this brilliant film.
I'm hopeful that Amazon's technical specifications listings will become more useful. "
The Violence Is Necessary
OddStatistic | 07/13/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Fairy tales are violent. Labyrinths are always dangerous places. Many fairy tales have been toned down for kids, but in their original forms, Violent. Getting to the movie, the violence has to be there. Basically, I think it rips the viewer back and forth between the "I'm really a princess!" fantasy world the little girl dreams of and the harsh world the little girl lives in just as the little girl is throw back and forth between that fantasy world and the world in which the country is at war, her father beloved father is dead, her mother is sick, her baby brother is in jeopardy, she's being told to call some other man father, her stepfather is a murderous jerk, and her new best friend (as she has had to leave all of her old friends in the city to move to the country) is a spy who could be discovered and killed at any moment. While viewers feel sympathy for the little girl's situation given all of that, the violence on screen creates a situation for the viewer. More empathy. The viewer (at least those with weaker stomachs) wants to get away from it as much as the little girl and hopes she, at least, succeeds, becomes the princess, finds her "real" father (alive and well), her mother (alive and well), etc etc. Why the ending? As multiple characters in the film say, there is no magic. Fairy tales aren't real. Not for you, me, or anybody else. No other ending would work. For what appears to be it's purpose, the movie had to be dark and could have been darker without fault. In passing, would like to comment on the fact that Captain seems to believe in his own version of a fairy tale, the great man's death. In fact most characters seem to have some "fairy tale" in mind. Final note: those complaining because they thought this was a kid's movie, check the rating on the DVD, the movie posters, the internet, the theater marquee,.... That's not, and never was, a G. Don't blame anyone buy yourself for your choice not to take the time to read one letter prominently placed on the advertising materials before tossing your kids in front of the television and going off to do the laundry or whatever. There's no excuse for being surprised by the fact that this movie isn't for kids."