Excellent movie, very beautiful and surprisingly deep.

Absolutely one of the greatest movies ever created. It is so engrossing, that I couldn't even explain what it was about after until I had a half an hour to get my thoughts together and attempt to do it justice. Astonishing would be an understatement.

Wow--it's one of the best films all year--no kidding. This is heart breaking and brilliant. Acting is fantastic.

Some nice visuals, but the film sorely disappoints. I think this director's technical skills matched with a good script could be magnificent, but this is the perhaps the most overrated film I've had the misforute of seeing. I truly feel duped. I am so glad the German film won the oscar.

This movie blew me away ! Depth, imagitation glimpse into the madness of all it's characters.... Excellent entertainement.

As someone who lives in Spain and loves history, I was looking forward to this film, especially after the critical acclaim. Sadly it was disappointing. Stereotypycal characters, sadistic fachas and good commies, sentimental, whimsical, predictable and with disturbing pedophiliac overtones. Typical modern lefty propaganda. It illuminated nothing about its historical period, childhood or Spanish culture. Just prettily filmed fluff masquerading as art. No wonder the critics loved it. If you want to see a truly great Spanish language movie try Amores Peros, it's in a whole different league.… Expand

This movie is simply superb, the story is touching and moving - as a matter of fact, the whole theatre was captured in silence at the end. The actors do a tremendous job. The only criticism one might include is that some parts of the plot are somewhat predictable - but since Pan's Labyrinth is an adult (I mean adult! This movie has mature content) fairy tale, that's not too much of a point… Expand

I appreciate Del Toro's indictment of 20th century Europe. Ultimately, though, this film's rather unsubtle, unimaginative message: guerillas good, fascists bad.

This is a stroke of brilliance by Guillermo del Toro-- the brilliance comes into play with how he has intricately woven the Parallel Journeys of the unconscious and conscious mind. It is a parable of moral choices versus blind obedience juxtaposed with the symbols of mythology and religion without getting lost in specific perceptions. The parable is told from the POV of fantasy being the reality. It is the test of what one believes even though it cannot be seen… Expand

This film was a work of art a brilliant story that takes you into a world of fantasy. I had no expectations going into the movie as I didnt know what the movie was about. I was positivley surprised at how mindblowing this movie was I could not leave my seat for fear of missing anything.

The story is way too simple and "black and white" to make this movie interesting in any way. Acting is also poor. Oh, and really annoying sound design.

Mix of fairy tale and cruel war film, incredible feeling during watching, must watch!

It was good, but 98 out of 100 good? No way. The reviews gave out a lot of false expectations. Yeah, the movie was good, but saying that it's better than so many other war movies (Saving Pvt. Ryan) is a joke. This is nothing but a highly overrated foreign film.

a new classic which I will want to have in my DVD library. multilayered and dazzling -- appealing to the mind and the soul -- archetypes of fairy tales and quests about life's journey and choices every step of the way, during Childhood and Adulthood.

The film had visuals that complemented the film instead of being the centerpiece, which is a really good thing considering that fantasy films nowadays are bombarded with CGI. the reality and the fantastical aspects were handled nicely and gelled well near the ending. but this is not for the faint of heart. my body became mush after a scene with the captain and the maid in the storeroom where the rations were held. *shivers*… Expand

A transcendent movie experience. Perhaps not as perfect as a '10' implies but it deserves the highest rank if only to distinguish it from movies, however worthy, that are merely entertaining.

This film is nothing short of a masterpiece and a must see. While it isn't quite the fairy tale that you are lead to believe, it is fantastic film with deep resounding themes if you look for them. The plot is still immensely interesting and keeps the viewer's attention even if a good three-fourths takes place outside the fantasy world. It also has some of the most brilliant cinematography and rich art direction of any film ever made.… Expand

I'm not going to lie, this is quite argueably the best movie i have ever seen. ever. It has an amazing amount of depth to it, like a classic novel (possibly even more). If you give the movie some thought after viewing it, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Pan's Labyrinth is a dark and well crafted movie which deserved the Academy Award. Pan's Labyrinth is unique and is hands down interesting.

Powerful and always engrossing, this tale is not too sad nor bloody for most adutls and young people to see. The acting and cinematography are simply terrific. I hope that theatre managers keep this on the screen long enough for the favorable word of mouth to get around. I plan to see it again on DVD sometime.

Great movie and a note to Alex H. Pan was the fawn not the girl. If you didn't know that much, no wonder you only gave the movie a 5.

Pretentious crap. That's all it takes these days to impress you morons isn't it - oh look it's a magical forest with Satan underneath it and there's oh look there's fascism in it which is a reminder to us all to SUPPORT THE WAR ON TERROR right! Right!! Goddamn sheep.

I thought the movie was talked about way to much. I wasn't even that good. I wouldn't ask anybody to watch this because its to dark for kids and its to dull for adults.

The sheer beauty of this film is shown through so many different aspects of the film. First of all this film was del Toto's baby which he finely crafted down to every detail. When so much heart goes into a film it shows on screen. The acting is incredible and Ivana Baquero (Ofelia) is going to be a star. The reason I believe this is one of the greatest films of all time is because of the simple fact that it was original. Yes, del Toro put many parallels of Alice in Wonderland and countless fairy tails, and Narnia into the movie, but he isn't copying these stories, he is taking some of their ideas and creatures and applying them to his original story. When you watch the movie you can feel the heart and soul of everyone involved projecting from the screen. This is what is wrong with today's films, there is no heart. All we see today are blockbusters and sequels. But this movie is different. Most movies like blockbusters blatently tell you what to think and what you should feel coming out of the movie. But Pan's Labyrinth leaves so many decisions up to the viewer to interpret that it makes you feel like the adult who dismisses the magic of fairy tales or feel like you do in fact believe that what Ofelia saw was real. And on one last note about the ending. I believe when she gets to the kingdom it is in fact heaven and it may be insinuating that everyone has their own version of heaven, and that was hers because of what she believed.… Expand

Everyone who has been criticizing this movie, with the interesting exception of K Henderson, is simply too stupid to understand it. Go see Spiderman. Henderson brings up interesting points, notably the plot holes (what motivated the General to kill the little girl? That should have been developed a little more. I'd be interested to see what other holes you found.) Also, it's hard because the main character is an 11 year old girl who did phenominally, but still just can't be expected to develop the on screen complexity of an adult. I'll address a few people's stupid issues at this time: 1. PnArdy--art is not supposed to be entertaining. It's supposed to be beautiful. You're obviously not Spanish, so the facists mean nothing to you, but it dominates the psyches of most Spaniards born before 1975 (including my current teacher.) It is one of the most profound horrors in human history, even if it is almost entirely overlooked by Americans. 2. P E--the ending is not a cop out. It shows that peace and the ability to resist facism, as represented by the girl who disobeyed her facist leader, is only a fantasy. The reality is all those rebels are going to die within 24 hours. It's actually one of the most profound endings I've ever seen. 3. E R--the characters are not one dimensional entirely. Why does Mercedes continue to serve the captain instead of fighting with her brother? Why does the mother allow the captain to dominate her and why does she crush her girl's fantasies? Why does the girl decide to eat the grapes? One dimensional characters would not do such things. Admittedly, there is little moral gray area within the characters (except the mother, who is not evil but is considered worthy of death, apparently, for her passivity, which is one of the strongest and most powerful messages of the entire movie.) However, the movie is an allegory. Allegories are not meant to have much gray area. Also, the fact that the fantasy world was unpleasant until the end is the point of the allegory (fantasy=facism except in the fantasy land, when the girl disobeys she is exalted and lives while in real life she dies.) It is actually one of the most difficult films to interpret I've ever seen. I've had to think about it for half an hour and write about it. 4. Doug R--go see Spiderman. Not going to go on. Basically, one must know a lot about the Spanish Civil War to appreciate this movie, and one must be willing to understand the allegory.… Expand

A wonderful film like this should be bestowed on the public more often. The riveting details and incredible special effects really pulled this movie together and made you go back to your childhood days and think about how fairy tales were supposed to be told.

Dross. Riddled with clichés and inexplicable plot holes, not to mention one-dimensional characters. The fantasy sequences were derivative and underplayed, as if the makers were embarrassed to be delving into the genre, and the aspects concentrating on the human characters were nothing that hasn't been seen a hundred times before. The direction and editing were particularly poor: scenes and characters just walked onto the screen with no element of suspense, and were all too frequently tediously predictable. The attempt to mix fairytale fantasy and war film was a real disaster, too; the whole thing seemed very mean-spirited, with even the child's fantasy world being a pretty unpleasant, miserable place, and the overall impression was of a failed attempt to tack an aborted kiddie film onto a mediocre war drama. Most hateful of all was the way the ending was so neat, with the rebels winning and the little girl escaping to her fantasy world to be a princess. Listen up, people: the bad guy DIDN'T die at the end of the Spanish Civil War, he WON it. Watch a film that doesn't try to hide this; watch something which doesn't try to impose a limp, cop-out ending onto it. If you're an adult, you shouldn't watch Pan's Labyrinth, because of its oversimplified, obvious nature; if you're a child, you shouldn't watch it because of its jarring violence. Just because a film tries to tackle "issues" doesn't mean it succeeds.… Expand

Although I can definitely see why the critics gave it the rating they did, I just can't get around the fact that I hated this movie. Yes I understand that the director was trying to make a point fascism during WWII by focusing on how pan doesn't pay attention to direct orders whether they come from a fascist leader or from an obsurd monster man whose face looks like the mask from the Saw series (really i couldn't get over that . . . ). What really got me, however, was that people seemed to think that it was a valid metaphor/analogy. I can see how watching a little girl defy a fascist government could be important, but, in all seriousness a government is nothing like a magic Saw-esque thing. When a mythical creature asks you to do something you listen. The whole movie all i could think about was how stupid Pan was and then it worked out perfectly for her and that just ruined my evening. Stupidity should be painful.… Expand

I don't understand the people bashing this film. It's not a fantasy film, not does it have any intention on being one. The fantasy elements are the girl's way of escaping an otherwise terrible life. As for a cop-out ending, how can you say that everyone winds up happy. There's no celebration with the rebel victory, as they know a looming threat still exists in franco and the fascists. As for the girl, she's dead, the only reason she's happy in the fantasty is because she'd rather die then live in her reality. To say the movie is a cliche of oversimplified elements is just to go against the grain and refuse to admit to the film's popular reception. It's a fantastic film and a entertaining, moving experience.… Expand

This was an amazing film - fantasy, but not for children (seriously, not suitable for children) - for adults. It was beautiful, frightening, and utterly captivating. The musical score is still with me, many weeks after seeing the film. It's not a children's movie, it's not a wizards and warlocks movie, it's not a drama - it's unlike anything you've ever seen or heard. If you hve an open mind and the IQ to handle it, it could be one of the best movies you've ever seen.… Expand

Incredible movie. Those who don't understand how the two plots are interrelated are simply taking everything that happened in the movie at face value. In actuality-- whether the events that led her to her ultimate destiny even happened are debatable. This is about a little girl who is trying to cope with the very violent world we live in any way she can-- mostly by using her imagination. For those of you trying to apply historical theory: this is not a documentary-- it is a fictional narrative that comes from the imagination of one person and should be viewed as just that: FICTION. Personally, talking fauns and magical doors dissuade me from trying to apply any sort of realist theory... but there are always those who will try to find the worst in everything. I personally respect anyone's opinion that this is a bad film -- I just strongly disagree.… Expand

This had to be one of the most boring, lifeless and surprisingly graphic fairie tale wanna-be movies I have ever seen. I have no idea why the critics loved it so much. I hated it and nearly turned it off after the first 30 minutes. We rented Apocalypto the same night expecting it to be exceedingly gory... which it was...., but wasn't expecting the exceptionally graphic violence in Pan. Apocalpto worked... pan didn't. There were a variety of other things that somewhat disturbed me as well including some casually concealed political undertones and not so casually concealed allusions to hell/satan/evil etc. (and no I'm not a holy roller in the least! :) ) Definitely not a kids movie. Not much of one for adults either. 2 for the graphics and acting on "Faun", otherwise 0.… Expand

My favorite movie by far. It was easy and fun to sit through and I'm looking forward to watching it again. The costumes and places were amazingly designed, the acting was marvelous and the ending left me speechless. Only if you watch the movie with a closed-mind will you hate it.

Great movie, expressing in a new manner the horrors of the Franco regime, and finally with proper effects, in opposition to earlier tries to do the same. It's not a family movie though, and can be somewhat depressing, if you don't like analyzing that is, which is probably why many fantasy fans gave it bad grades. A perfect mix in my point of view.

A terribly over-hyped steaming heap of cartoonish values. A propaganda wolf in young adult's movie clothing. The values of this director seem as fascist as it's central bad character. There is no need for quotes around "bad"!

An absolute triumph! This movie beautifully depicts the creative imagination of a young girl hostile to an environment that is at once cruel and suppressive. I do not understand the bad reviews. This movie left me shaken and moved to the core. I am definitely with the critics on this one.

This movie is one of the most beautiful, poetic and brilliant movies I have ever seen. The storyline flows so well...it is an incredible work of art and imagination. I loved it so much it brought a tear to my eye at the end.....especially the second time around....I think this movie is definitely something where you just can say "Awesome!" , it's fascination and amazement will leave deep thinkers in awe at the end........almost as if for that last moment of the movie.....you look at life in a whole different way. Pan's Labyrinth=masterpeice 10++ no doubt.… Collapse

Hate it the first time I seen it. Seen it again on DVD and I still felt the same way. This is one movie that is way over hyped, it only recieved a high score as it did, because its a foreign film.

This is a very good movie, but not great. I don't understand the extremely high reviews, but I did really enjoy it. At least the "professional" reviewers are giving a good movie great reviews instead of giving great reviews to a crappy movie like "Lost in Translation.

Set in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, the story of young Ofelia and her quest to return to her other worldly kingdom, is a masterpiece that deserves only the utmost honor and respect. It takes us to a time when the world was in tragedy, and the only way to survive was to shut your mouth and do some of the most atrocious things. To live with a fascist stepfather, and a mother who is carrying his child, and seemingly only in it for security, Ofelia is trapped in a wasteland. The pain inflicted on her mother Carmen, physically by her unborn child, can also be construed as a representation of the pain she may feel emotionally about marrying a fascist murderer, who only cares about the child she bears, and has no good sentiments towards her daughter. Ofelia, alone and afraid in a troubling time, has been so desensitized by the war, that she begins to repress her feelings, and create a world entirely her own, where she is a princess. One would also be blind however, not to notice that the fantasy world is as dark as reality. It is a mirror image of the real world, the only difference being that Ofelia could give herself hope. She was put through trials, including facing a child eating monster (who could easily be construed as her step father) and had to watch as her hopes started to die. We often see how reality coincides with Ofelia… Expand

Brilliant movie. Fantastic imagery, and quite moving.

Please....this movie is hopelessly overrated. Look hard enough and you will find what you want no matter what happens on the screen.

A boring mix of Harry Potter-Narnia and Corelli's Mandolin movies.I wonder why is so high to your ratings.If something had to win an Oscar was the trailer of the movie. Sorry but i didn't enjoy it and i was wishing to end.

Visually stunning and provocative, this movie effectively brings together both the elements of childhood fantasy and adult reality. A breathtaking movie that magnificently portrays the innocence of the young, and the feeling of safety and seclusion that one obtains from the so called "fantasy world". Easily the best film I have ever seen, this movie is full of parallels and truly and deeply expresses the caring and compassion that one aspires to have.… Expand

A film that has the ideas and the story to be a classic for the older children fantasy picture bracket but misses its own point and descends into unnecessary violence to cover its lack of script, plot and any kind of satisfactory ending. Yes the world Ofelia lives in is bleak and the Spanish Civil war was violent but the stark good bad divide depicted feels forced and unnatural. Captain Vidal

Taken place in the mid of political war blending with a little girl's imagination. Telling a tragedy story with full of excites and emotions. The end is heartrending but happy.

Masterpiece...pure and simple. For the simple-minded, a confusing tale, but for those who understand that story-telling at this level happens once or twice per decade, this is simply genius. You will be haunted by it, moved by it, and overwhelmed by it's brilliance and power. See it...I beg you!

Perfect, amazing soundtrack, photography.

A moving, many layered masterpiece. Far more than fantasy, this film compares with the Ring trilogy for symbolic meaning.

Powerfully good movie. There's a lot more going on than meets the eye, but what meets the eye is so compelling you'll have to pick yourself up after it's over to even begin thinking about the multiple levels at work. People will red-score anything, even modern masterpieces. Avoid it at your peril. Also, a word to the horror-averse: you have nothing to worry about. There9;s a little blood but it's not a shock or scare film in the least. Remember the Dark Crystal? It's like that--fantasy in its darkest color.… Expand

An excellent movie, but I am writing this as a response to many of the uninformed opinions here. This is NOT a movie about the Spanish Civil War, which had been over for 5 years by 1944 (when this takes place). It is not an advertisement for Communism (which was never the uniting force among the Republicans) vs. Fascism. There is no real political message--it's simply set (realistically) in a time when the victors of a terrible civil war were still violently suppressing guerrillas from the losing side (btw this continued into the 1950s and estimates are that as many as 200K people were killed). Read a book, and learn some history. Orwell's Homage to Catalonia is a good start, although it takes place well before these (fictional) events.… Expand

Beautiful. Haunting. Ending featured an astounding juxtaposition of heartbreak and joy. Took my breath away.

Masterpiece. The low ratings for this movie are laughable. Sure I can see an 8, even a 7 but below that and you're dealing with an 8 year old who wanted more transformers. It's a story of fascism and brutality, hope and love. It helps if you know a little about post civil war Spain but petty dictatorships are common enough that most people shouldn't have too much trouble understanding the setup. Simply amazing is all I can say.… Expand

One of the greatest movies I have ever seen. If you've been putting off seeing this movie, stop. It's well worth the money. Don't worry about having to know Spanish. After a while, you forget that they're speaking Spanish. Overall, the movie itself consists of two different stories, that intertwine at the right moments. And PLEASE, people, before rating this movie, SEE IT! A majority of bad ratings nowadays come from people who haven't seen the movie yet. Don't be ignorant like that. Anyway, see this movie, love it, rate it.… Expand

The best film I have ever seen. It was a perfect story between fantasy and reality.

Um, vague much? Art direction and make up was fantastic, but everything else was a mess! Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie. It's just not the Oscar winning, best picture of the year material. Too much pointless violence, not enough fantasy and not enough distinction between the two. The ending was the best part. The movie drags on in some places and should have been 30 mintues shorter. Good movie, not great.… Expand

My expectation was that this movie is a great fantasy movie. But through the course of the film, I felt the war concept of the film more. And the war part was I could only say, finely done. And I still enjoyed it.I have seen anything like it.

If you can't understand the movie, shut your traphole. This movie was awesome and illustrated two separate worlds: that of war and that of innocence and fantasy. Amazing across the board, regardless of what lesser-able individuals say.

Not a gilded treasure from the vaults of xerxes, like teh critics think.

I thought this was unmitigated rubbish. It didn't say anything meaningful that I could discern. The 'real world' was just violence, violence, violence, with absolutely no exploration of the real and important politics behind what was happening. The fantasy world was silly, incoherent and without any sense of real magic.

I can say lots of great things on this movie, but I will only say It honestly made me cry.

This movie is awesome. Never have I seen such different concepts of movies blended into one so well. War, Fantasy, and Horror. A true emotional roller coaster.

This is one incredible film, from start to finish. Hands down, one of the greatest films I have ever seen.

To the reviewers that gave it poor reviews: I agree that the marketing was completely misleading, it was not what I was expecting. But to comment that there was "no exploration of the real and important politics behind what was happening" is missing the entire point of the film. The film is about a young girl coping with the horrors of war and fascism, not about the events actually going on.… Expand

I'm not much of a wardrama movie fan, but sometimes a genre film can raise itself through a good or original storyline and or sub story. Labirinto doesn't at all. It offers nothing more than a meandering tale about the evil of men, which's message is brought far too directly to make any impact. People that taut this movie as a fairytale should consider watching the movie again with a timer. Perhaps only 7% of this movie deals with what can vaguely be described as a fairytale, although I would rather like to call it fable-imagery. We didn't call Kill Bill a Manga movie either just because it had some Manga scenes in it, now did we. Although it was beautifully shot and contained good acting, this movie was bland and over the top at the same time. At no point are you required to think because the movie exposes everything it touches upon. It was just that year's cinematic darling and the audiences slavishly followed suit.… Expand

This film is vastly overrated. The plot is paper-thin and the characters so cliched it beggars belief. The overall impression is of a badly written amalgamate of half a dozen Brothers Grimm fairy tales, couple of poor war dramas and a coming-of-age, straight to TV Disney flick from the eighties. The four points are for the ideas for Pan and the white monster, and Doug Jones' performance. It's surprising that such an unoriginal creation would come from the director of The Devil's Backbone and a well executed Hellboy adaptation.… Expand

I really can't understand where some of these ridiculously negative views of the movie are coming from, other than the fact that in some ways the movie has been slightly overrated. Still, it certainly doesn't deserve such a harsh rating as 4, letalone 0. The movie was dark and emotional. There was enough fantasy to satisfy and the switching between harsh reality and mystical adventure brought a very powerful twist to the movie. I felt that the few violent scenes were well placed and did well to demonstrate the barbaric and sadistic behaviour of the fascist stepfather. That said, I was slightly disappointed as I feel the movie could have offered more. Unlike some people, though, I'm not going to give the movie a bad score just because it had untapped potential - it was still a fantastic viewing experience.… Expand

Simply one of the best movies i have ever seen. Beautifully produced and directed, great visuals, and an awesome story. I disagree with Baz regarding the unbelievable plot. The movie is meant to be half fantasy half reality, the true meaning or significance is largely left to interpretation by the audience. Also the characters IQ, i dont know who specifically Baz refers to but i believe she is referring to a part (i wont reveal it) involving the child character in the story in which case simple mistakes are just a common child error. Definitely worth a try.… Expand

Me and a buddy saw this movie one night, and halfway through the film he begged me to switch to another movie. I insisted that we saw it through because of the metascore, but at the end I almost fell asleep. The whole World War II / Fantasy mix is the most boring plot ever and never makes any sense.

A beautiful, emotional, and spellbinding film that is the single best film I've seen in 2006.

Brilliant movie. It's so refreshing to watch a film like this. Each scene was obviously very well thought out. The sound and picture seemed so beautifully crisp. Marvelous.

For all the naysayers who gave this movie a low score, i'm sorry that you have zero imagination and must be spoon fed a boring run of the mill plot. But for those who enjoy the strange and enthralling worlds of mythos and fables, you will enjoy this movie. To end it I will say 4 words! BOTTLE IN THE FACE!

A beautifully told allegory about power, love, innocence.. I could go on, but firstly... Nathaniel Z, what are you sniffing?! You say you haven't got time to properly criticize the movie. Well, don't. Your self-important opinions are misguided and, at their worst, completely irrelevant. For example, you say Del Toro is obese, but my next door neighbor has an orange cat (and if that confuses you, you've just subtly got my point)... Del Toro rocks. I could hug his big, cuddly ass. P.S. What are you even doing reading this anyway? I won't be bothering; better things to do.… Expand

Very good movie. Reminded me of a cross between Schindler's List and The Secret Garden.

Really good story of the Spanish Civil War and its effect on a little girl.

Deadly yet beautiful, I still can't get over how amazing this film was! Great in every way, my fav. P.S. If you find yourself giving it less then an 8 you just don't get the movie (or have a weak stomach)

Are you fraking kidding me. First off, don't ever call this a horror movie. Secondly, it sucked. If I wanted to see scary little gremlins and elfs I would have watched Lord of the Rings...which also sucked, might I add. What is it with all the dorks out there and their love for weird ogres and elfs? Gay. Bad movie.

Pretty slow and terrible movie, in my opinion. The best part was when it ended. Who comes up with this crap, and why does it get such a high rating?? It's on the "All-Time Highest Rated" chart? Are you kidding?

Those who gave this movie below a 7 probably aren't very credible voters. This movie is beautiful on so many levels. This movie isn't slow. This movie isn't for those with ADD, this isnt a fast action thriller... I thin a lot of people do not realize that this is not an American made movie, but are judging i on American standards.

Would give it a 9.5 if I could but rounding down I go to a '9'. @ Matt C: What movie were you hoping to see when you went and saw this film? I get the feeling you just want to coast through life, movies, and the universe, with nothing taxing your brain throughout the whole safe, bland experience. @ Brian L: I would not call the violence in this movie 'exquisite', but neither do I agree with all your negative inaccuracies about the film. There is horror in this film, to be sure. And it is brutal and shocking - I guarantee you that's how it happened in real life. I hate to break it to you, but humans can be more monstrous than any fantastical creature. In sync and alongside the horrifying way humans treat each other in the film is the fantastical element of the piece. No, it's not Disney - and you seem upset by this. I am not sure what you were expecting but I think you were definitely on the wrong track mate, regarding fairies and what-have-you. The torture scenes were very tastefully done - you barely see anything, but are left with a lot of nasty things to the imagination. You mentioned exploding brains - not a one to be seen - are you mixing this film up with a more mindless horror flick? I graduated from film school. but I am not a 'pro reviewer', as you say: I just see and appreciate the movie for what it is, don't let any preconceived ideas taint my online text. My quick summary of this film - honestly a truly powerful film. A quite stunning blend of brutal history with an seamless injection of fantasy that has to be seen to be understood how effortlessly it entwines into the story. In fact, I don't think I've experienced another film that blends reality and fantasy as seamlessly as this film. The only detraction for me is the ultimate ending, and even this is fine except for certain little things. The 'correct choice' at the end seems rather cliched, in the sense that the film deals with it very quickly and moves on with such speed that it feels we are running out of time. However, apart from that small flaw this film truly is quite incredible. I encourage all of you to watch this film - you probably won't see anything quite as incredible for a few years to come.… Expand

A brilliant mix of fantasy, brutal violence, and horror in Del Toro's masterpiece.

You should know a bit more about the spanish history and u will understand that the movie is not as violent as the true. Its a wonderful way to show us the cruel true.

Interesting movie, very freaky and weird at first... but the story is incredible and the acting is inconceivable.

This is definitely one of the best movies ever. It is so compelling story-wise and has a lot of meaning behind it.

This movie focuses more on the real world Spanish civil war rather than the fantasy element, although it terrifically interwoven into the plot. For those who complain about the high level of gore, i completely agree but you must realise the Spanish civil war is the 'bloodiest' war to date in human history, and infact the violence is actually tremendously toned down. Unless you know a bit of Spanish history, I'd recommend you study up before watching this movie, as this is a MUST SEE. If you are a close-minded person or don't like the big bad world, don't watch it and stop littering the score with 0's.… Expand

Grand.

Just beautful. In every way. I won't say any more, just go see it. Saw this in Madrid last month and I really recommend everyone in the States goes and sees it.

Really really good - you must see Pan's Labyrinth.

Absolutely incredible. Brought me close tears, and hasn't left my mind since I saw it...one of the very best films i have ever seen.

One of the year's very best films. A dazzling mix of fantasy, horror, politics and history. It's an exhilarating and damn near fautless film. A must see on the large screen.

Oh dear, another classic for the ages (one of thousands, in the minds of moviegoers). One could quibble with the the lack stylistic variation between the "real" and the imaginary (the horrific "real" episodes are shot with a gliding horror-movie camera which robs them of conviction), but the real failing of this film is its literality. The filmmaker is obliged to enact everything going on its the child's mind. No mystery is left unrifled. Viewers who are persuaded this movie is a masterpiece are urged to check out Victor Erice's "Spirit of the Beehive" which does ten times as much, with 1/10th the exposition, and which was obviously the model for Pan. Would that the filmmaker had paid closer to attention to his master.… Expand

This was an unnecessarily violent film that's marketed as being mostly fantasy when actually it's only 25% fantasy and 75% reality, and I didn't care about/connect with the reality narrative. I feel duped after having sat through this film.

Personally i think this is the greatest movie of all time, its mix of reality and fantasy makes this the ultimate movie to be seen by our children and so forth. this movie is no for the weak of mind which is where any bad reviews came from. if any movie deserves higher than a 10, its this one

Insane!!! But not insane enough. There is too much reality in this movie, and not enough fantasy.

Some people really get on my nerves. Do the people giving this film a zero honestly think that it's the worst film ever and undeserving of a single point towards its name. Quit wasting intelligent people's time with your idiotic reviews and go back to watching Norbit and Big Mommas House 2. It's heartbreaking for me to see these bad reviews for a film so undeserving of them.

I initially went to see this movie thinking it was a fantasy movie, a mistake that has been made by many it seems like, though I wasn't disappointed to find out that it wasn't as much a fantasy as it was a war drama. This was one of the best movie going experiences of my life. after screening the movie I wasn't able to get out of my head. I can't stop thinking about it. I will be forced a second viewing just so i can think of something else except Pan's Labyrinth.… Expand

A rich, beautiful and profound film.

In Pan's Labyrinth, Del Toro masterfully reminds us of the dark emotions that are tucked away in each one of us, lovingly cuts each one open, oozing just enough for our souls to willingly drown.

Disappointing. After peeping the 97 Metascore on this site, I was expecting...more. More gorgeous visuals. More nightmarish monsters. More lullabies into the dreamy world which del Toro was creating. Just...more. Ultimately, I felt short changed. The movie was good...but very...far short on the promise.