This movie moved me deeply in 2006, and hasn't stopped moving me since. The final scene is playing on a perpetual loop in the background of my mind. It is a canonical work of art.

A fantastic movie, easily one of my favorites. Visually stunning, I found that the violence perfectly underscored the horrors of war, especially those horrors having been seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl. Some may say that the characters were underdeveloped, with Mercedes adopting the "Good Guy" and the Captain being the classic villian archtype, but one must remember that this is a story seen through the eyes of a young girl. All adults, to children, are either good, or bad. And to the people griping about the film being unsuitable for children, well, it's rated R for a reason.… Expand

I do not exaggerate when I say there is no other movie whose reception has baffled me this much. This movie is pretty bad. It's not atrocious, but I am tempted to say so in reaction to the herd of reviewers that are on some kind of weird bandwagon kick gushing over this movie. The realistic parts were cliched and the characters like her father were caricatures. The fantasy aspects were forced, meaningless, and stylized only for the sake of being stylized. Could have been so much more.. And the whole way the movie was portrayed by its marketing as this 'dark fairy tale' was completely misleading. More like a bad wartime drama with a few cool but completely meaningless fantastic scenes spliced in.… Expand

One of the best films of the year if not the best. It's a grown-up, unrelenting version of a child's fairy tale. The key difference -- we don't get the happy, joyful ending that children need. It's grand mix of the realities of war, and the fantasies of a child stuck in its middle. The violence is grisly, unrelenting, but that's the point. War is hell, life can be hell, and to not show the gore, the blood, the terrible deaths, is coddling to the viewer. One viewer says the violence is "entirely gratuitous" -- how lucky she is to have never seen anyone shot or killed. Heartbreaking? Yes. Shocking? Yep. But hopeful, too. And not easily forgotten.… Expand

This movie was so stimulating and intense I had to sit in a dark room and drink a beer for an hour or so after I finished it. Absolutely beautiful. Absolutely mesmerizing. Absolutely terrifying. Amazing.

A film of sufficient quality to meet my standards of good art, but by no means does Pan's Labyrinth stand up to the kind of hype it's been given lately. Analyzed as a whole, the movie mixes fantasy and reality in an innovative fashion, but individual aspects of the film are by no means the best they could have been. While the acting is good, it's not great, and characters (particularly the Colonel) are flat. Arguably, the film is meant to transcend its characters, but at the very least, Ofelia should have been fleshed out to a greater degree. The fantasy and reality plotlines of the film are only nominally interesting and would make for a terrible film if they weren't mixed. Maybe this is intentional, but it doesn't make it good. In regards to the visuals and violence, I was neither impressed nor horrified. Maybe I'm just desensitized, but the blood and gore are far from gratuitious: people are capable of terrible violence, and the movie doesn't suffer for showing it. On the other hand, the visuals don't have nearly the same impact as the recent 'Children of Men', which masterfully used brutal but less bloody violence to much greater effect. The cinematography, while pretty, was also fairly bland for a supposed masterpiece. 'Pan's Labyrinth' is very much worth seeing for those with reasonably strong stomachs and the ability to suspend their disbelief long enough to take in the overall themes, but a noticeable lack of quality in the film's minor (and not-so-minor) details ruin its supposed greatness.… Expand

Intense, chilling, and utterly engrossing. This makes you clearly see how far Hollywood is missing the boat. An original vision and not a sequel in sight.

"there wasn't enough car chases"
"this film ruined my weekend and my life boo fucking hoo"
why dont you walking rainclouds fuck off. You'd give a film of the edge of the universe a bad review if you thought it was controverisal enough to make people pay attention to you for 15 seconds.

All the tips will get out of this movie is the scene with the dude who has eyes on his hands and he chases after the girl. If you are not a tip however it is a great movie and will let you into the unbelievable imagination of a triumphant young girl.

If you enjoy endless scenes of gratuitous violence -- rush to see this film. If you believe that gunshots to the head, stabbing a man's face then shooting him, a woman cutting a man's mouth open, and so on have any place in a "fairy tale" -- then this is the film for you!

man, i'm really really smart, and this movie just wasn't as smart as i am! i'm sorry, but it really makes me feel even smarter when i can say a movie sucks that everyone else loves. i also hate the godfather (totally unreal storyline), gone with the wind (yeah, as if there was a civil war??), and pulp fiction (not very well directed). i just wish more people would consult ME before making a movie, because i could really write a much better movie than this one. that's why i'm sitting on my ass passing judgement on people WAY more talented than i am!… Expand

First off, this movie is actually not in the least bit gratuitous when it comes to violence. Deemed "hyper-violent," there is actually very little blood/gore shown in the movie. Other than that minor point, the movie is a unique and nicely imagined picture that's almost perfect. Besides Mercedes' unexplicable decision to not kill the captain, ther are very few things the movie does poorly. A little more fantasy and a little less revolution could have made the movie better. The fantasy plays truer to Del Toro's style, so it's strange that he doesn' delve more into that. But this movie stays with you long after it ends. It leaves you deeply affected and shaken, which was most likely Del Toro's intent. 97? No, it's not that incredible, but it's quite close and is by and far the best movie so far this year.… Expand

Exquisite film making and exquisite story telling. Just far enough away in time for the resonance to today's political scene to truly register. It's so rare to encounter a film that's thematically profound and at the same time completely engrossing and deeply moving also. And the effortlessness of it is inspiring. That Del Toro apprenticed himself in the Hollywood system in order to make something this effective and beautiful inspires hope. A must see.… Expand

Outrageously overrated due to either the lack of good films these days or the lack of knowledge of film history to put this movie in context with the greatness of the past. Should have had more exploration of the labyrinth theme and scenes and a more provocative and deeper connection with the "real-life" scenes.
The villain is too one-dimensional. Sure, it looks beautiful but it doesn9;t really make the meaningful connections that it could have with its promising double story line.… Expand

Solid, fully-realized, and powerful film-making here. However, I can't help but feel that certain aspects could have been toned down somewhat and that more ambiguity could have been introduced, if only to make the "reality" depicted seem just a little more believable and not so needlessly shocking. Surprisingly, what was presented as the definite reality on-screen was a little harder for me to believe in than that which I was supposed to question, which I believe was not the film maker's intention (nor should it have been).… Expand

A marvelous mix of fantasy and the brutish reality of fascist Spain. The tightness of the storytelling is a hallmark as are del Toro's wonderfully strange, CGI-free monsters. The young lead is a beautiful little girl who so assuredly carries a great film and helps to make it just that - great.

Dark and twisted, but amazing and fabulous styles evoke not only the young but also the adult. This movie is really great fantasy movie for adults while the others, otherwise, aren't.

This is why User Reviews can't be take seriously! 106 as of today people gave this movie a negative review? Really! Really! Wow you people are just brain dead mongoloids! Anyone who gives this movie a bad review there credibility is gone forever, yes it's never coming back.

Pan's Labyrinth has been called, on countless occasions, "an adult's fairy tale." Not exactly. It's more like an adult's horribly repressed childhood nightmare. And, boy is that refreshing. It's all the innocence of childhood and imagination gone into the creepiest most horrific places. I enjoyed it.

After seeing Pan's Labyrinth myself I could not find any word good enough to describe this film. It is a feat that only a great deal of originality and talent are capable of.

Not only is this movie visually stunning, ranging from innocent beauty to gruesome reality, not only does the director, Guillermo Del Toro, perfectly contrast a young girl's fantastic fairy tales with the Captain's brutality in war, Pan's Labyrinth is a moving and even philosophical story of someone trying to cope with the horrors of real life, a fable that transcends time. Probably one of the greatest movies ever made.… Expand

There are very few films that I would rate 10/10, but this is without a shadow of a doubt one of them. The plot is brilliant, the acting is brilliant, the cinematography is brilliant. This film made me feel so close to certain characters and so angry at others that there were moments I found difficult to watch, but to me that's a sure sign of a brilliant film.

To summarise without spoiling, the film is set in fascist Spain and centres around a young girl who's struggling to live through the horrors of this adult world she's been so unwillingly thrust into. As such, the film almost plays out the two 'sides of the story' seamlessly, so beautifully moulded together that the line between fantasy and reality is blurred. We see the world for what it is and the world for what the young girl makes it out to be, her coping strategy, to put it bluntly. I think Guillermo Del Toro perfectly illustrates the endlessly imaginative vision that children have of the world and its stark contrast with reality is what makes elements of this film so tragic.

A must watch.… Expand

One of the most brutal films I have ever seen, not just in actual violence, but in mindset. At the same time, what a sweet, beautiful story, mixing the fantastic with the gritty realism of war. For anyone prepared for horror, excitement and sadness, I recommend it.

Perhaps the greatest fantasy film of all time, Del Toro's labyrinth really cuts to your core. It not only bewilders with wonder and sensation, but also has a warm spirit and quietly dazzles its completely captive audience.

I think this was an allegory about the rebirth of Spain after the Franco years. I lived in the country in the '80s and what happened after Franco died was born in the years this movie takes place. It's too much to go into here, but it seems to fit very well.

A very entertaining movie with some violence and a fantastic fairy tale central story.

I loved this movie one of the best I've seen in a long time, not for small children though this is a film for adults, I think alot of people forget that this is set in a period where times were tough and you have to work to survive. Highly recommened.

The most beautiful and shocking film I've ever seen. It's incredibly imaginative, with a perfect mixture of fantasy and reality interwoven. I can't really fault it. I was genuinely moved by it, it even got me crying. If you're feeling strong enough for some very serious cinema, I highly recommend it.

The only movie you need to see before you die

Few movies are perfect: Pan's Labyrinth is one of the perfect ones. Truly one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. Among my top 20 favorite films of all time.

This movie wasn't what I was expecting coming into it. I did not read up on the movie because I did not want the plot spoiled, so I missed the part where it said it was subtitled. I do not mind subtitles, but was not expecting it for this movie. Other than that I really enjoyed the plot and the visual effects. It was shocking, gritty and had me on the edge of my seat. I will be buying this movie when it comes out on DVD.… Expand

Ya, I guess I can't understand the low ratings either, I guess if the moive wasn't for you...than an 8 maybe..I haven't seen many movies this good...this is a really good movie- period- the 4's I see I just can't make sense of...definitely worthy of a 98

Wow. Pan's Labyrinth is easily the finest movie I've seen this year. The deck is stacked against it (see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), but this is a foreign language film finer than most Best Picture winners and quite clearly deserving of the award.

Breathtaking, I liken it to a Miyazaki film. Just utterly fantastic and unforgettable.

If you expect a fantasy film, keep in mind fantasy is more than Tolkein and Lewis. Before them, fantasy and folklore were about the darker aspects of life and developed to attempt to explain the unexplainable cruelty, capricious and uncaring aspects of life. This movie is every bit a fantasy in this respect. Like the labyrinth (not the "maze" but the religious version, pictured on the floor of the chamber) each person's life is an attempt to navigate an often tortuous path without a clear destination - every character in this film does so, with those falling away suffering the physical and metaphysical consequences of doing so. The fixing of the broken watch, the pantomimed versus real knife-at-the-throat moments, the echoes upon echoes all suffuse the film with, like many a fairy tale, implied choice and consequence. I cannot wait for the DVD to continue to explore the many character contrasts in the film, and number del Toro amongst the truly great storytellers. If you went in expecting mindless fluff, you haven't seen a del Toro film before. He is a craftsman in an era of shallow and artless direction.… Expand

This was a brilliant movie. I really can't say enough great things about this film except that I loved it. Ever since seeing the preview I knew I had to see it, and it didn't let me down. It was every bit as tragic and glorious as I'd hoped. I think it may be one of the greatest accomplishments of cinema thus far.

I was fascinated by this film - Ivana Baquero evoked all the horrors of a child caught up in the European (Spanish) 20th Century. It wrenches us between the brutal real world with that of a girl's fantasy - or is it a fantasy? A gut-wrenching film that left me stunned - something that rarely happens any more to this jaded old guy...

A great movie, but not for the squemish.

I don't usually give movies 10s. But this one is special. Savage at times, mystical fantasy thorughout, this is a must see. Be ready to read the subtitles, but worth the effort.

An amazing visionary movie. A masterpiece. American cinema has been needing some re-invigoration and with no surprise it comes from outside the establishment. The striking analogy to today's headlines and political climate should not be missed (i.e. military fascism, torture etc). This is a real contribution to the art of cinema, a landmark film.

The film was mesmerizing. Brilliant political allegories and biblical parables, makes this a hard-to-miss-film. absolutely beautiful.

The best movie of the year- beautiful, magical, haunting, and suspensful. Who knew bloody and beautiful would be in the same movie??

Perfect film, a beautiful story with a brilliant ending. Best film I've seen in a very long time.

Off the top of my head, 'bittersweet' and 'lyrical' are two adjectives that come to mind. Could come up with countless more. Will stay with you forever...

This is the most beautiful film I have ever seen.

The best film I have seen in the past 5 years. Del Toro has finally achieved the perfection he was close to in Devil's Backbone. After a few dull years I am actually inspired by the medium again.

Wow. This isn't a fantasy movie like it seems to be getting labled, but it is a masterpiece. It's got such an amazing amount of depth, and a story that is just as stunning as its visuals, and thats saying a lot. They're not as off the wall crazy as Lord of the Rings, they're more akin to a great painting. Simple and beautiful. If this film doesn't move you emotionally, and hit your soul like a ton of bricks, than you're a complete, heartless monster. And I'm dead serous about that.… Expand

An uncompromising fantasy epic. One of the very best of 2006.

Honestly this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Superbly acted, and written, this movie is just masterfully crafted around reality and an escape from the rough life of a young spanish girl who is living through Franco's Spain in 1944. Just a great movie, do yourself a favor and watch it.

Perfect. Instant classic. Movies do not get any better then this.

Simply stunning. Nuff said.

This movie is amazing and I believe it deserves its place on metacritics all-time high scores. It is a beautiful, tragic, and sometimes traumatizing portrayal of how brutally war affects children. Yes, this movie is very violent, but at least the violence is there for a reason: to demontrate the horrors of war. And Bick B, I think you're completely wrong. This film dazzled with brilliance, which is why it is one of the highest rated films of all time.… Collapse

A great fantasy adventure that despite some incredulous remarks and 0 scores still rates at 8.4. This says much for the maligned few who judge not on message but on appearance, choosing to bypass the part of the brain that processes thought and sends them straight out of the rear. To avoid this film because of such pretentious folks thinking they are above the underlying meaning of the film is nigh on criminal.… Expand

This film is haunting in every sense of the word. In fact, this movie redefined it for me. Every scene has stayed with me in a way that entire movies rarely do. An accomplished feat of filmmaking.

Pan's Labyrinth is a beautiful fairytale for adults, that will remain in someone's mind for a long time.

My wife & I rarely watch a rented movie twice--preferring to return the movie as soon as we can & get another one. This one we not only watched twice, but we also invited others to join us when we watched it the second time! Loved it!

Very few times do I watch a "hyped" film and expect it to meet the expectations. Pan's Labyrinth smashed all my expectations. Never have I viewed a film so beautifully crafted and executed. Beautifully constructed fantastic elements are juxtaposed against violent realism, creating an uneasy yet beautiful environment that is also an extremely tragic. This is the perfect example of film making at its finest. A film made with care, love and passion for the medium that is rarely seen in modern film.… Expand

Absolutely spectacular in its ability to simultaneously dazzle and provide scathing insight into the more sordid nature of the human condition.(In a side note the person who gave this a one for being too gruesome for children, which you claim is the intended audience, this movie is rated R which has never denoted that children should watch).

I just saw this movie for the first time a couple days ago. I've never had the chance to see it and I've wanted to for the past four years. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes horror and fantasy. It has strong elements of both. It's a fantastic movie. So what if it has blood and gore in it and it's a fairy tale? No one ever said it was for kids. I wanted to see it when I was 12 and I think I would've been fine with it. This movie is definitely one of my favorites and I completely love it.… Expand

Apparently, I saw the same film as fellow reviewer Dave R. did. If you look beyond the special effects, the plot is hackneyed and paper-thin. So many of the characters appear as one-dimensional caricatures.

This was the most horrible and horrific movie I've ever seen. It is NOT brilliant....it is insulting to women, children and mankind. The man that made this movie is a SICK FUCK!!!! It has nothing to do with fantasy.....it is all about DEATH......death is a much more beautiful thing that this asshole has conveyed. He needs to check his fucken brain. How dare you kill children and women in your movie the way you have!!!!!!… Expand

I also feel compelled to write a review questioning the almost universal critical acclaim for this movie. It has interesting visuals and was beautifully filmed. But ALL of the characters were one-dimensional. A movie with caricatures rather than characters must, by definition, fall well short of greatness, no matter how visually creative. While intertwining the girl's fantasy world with her violent reality could have been groundbreaking, Del Toro merely allows the two story lines to co-exist. Neither informs the other. At best, her fantasy world is an escape (nothing in it reacts to or in any way tries to deal with or make sense of her reality), but as pure escapist fantasies go, it is quite dull and, in the end, nothing more than a plot device. *** Warning: Spoilers *** Why did she eat the grapes other than in every fairy tale, the child must break a rule? That, and they needed to have a reason for the big pale droopy skinned child eater to come after her for a few seconds of cheap horror movie anxiety. Why did the Captain, who is so calculating, so ordered, kill the doctor in a fit, yet coolly set up Mercedes to catch her escaping? Why? The final scene would not have made sense if the doctor had lived and managed to save the mother. The doctor had to die so that a medic would deliver the baby and lose the mother. Why didn't Mercedes kill the Captain? It makes no sense other than she might have escaped, foregoing the dramatic rescue scene where she nearly slits her throat, that then sets events in motion for the final scene. Ultimately, neither the reality nor the fantasy can stand on its own, and, while engrossing visually, the two parts do not make a satisfying whole.… Expand

This highly overrated film fails at almost every level. As fantasy it is not for kids, nor adults. The violence and brutaility is sadistic. The characters are unexplored and unexplained. In fact, you watch most of the movie not knowing who anyone is, and you don't really care. The special effects/makeup of the fantasy characters are amateurish at best--they look like they were made out of paper mache during your 8th grade Intro to Art Class. Very little of the plot is revealed, and you don't really know the difference between reality and fantasy in this film. If the fantasy in the film is used as an allegory for escaping the brutality of fascism, then it would be nice if it appeared somewhere in the script. I find it unimaginable that this is the highest rated movie of the year. I walked out of the theater thinking it was an utter mess, and absolute piece of crap. Don't waste your money. Don't even see it when it comes on DVD.… Expand

Anybody who says Pan's Labyrinth is boring is a totally unsophisticated person with the mind of a 10 year old. My full review is on Rotten Tomatoes. My SN on there is Ryguy4738 M.

Truly an exceptional movie. The two stories are flawlessly incorporated together and the movie is actually quite terrifying, but without being a horror movie. An instant classic that will be remembered as one of the greatest films ever made.

Absolutely brilliant

Awesome!!!! Beautiful!!! Fantastic!!!! This movie helped me erase some memories of the horrid crap I had seen . I love this movie.

When I went to go see Pan

Pan's Labyrinth caught me completely off guard. I was not expecting the kind of movie I saw, and while to some degree it is better when this happens, it was just bad timing. I heard some really good reviews about this film. The advertising I saw showed interesting visuals of fantasy elements which seemed to be merged with reality. It focused on a little girl. I thought, "Hey, it's the weekend. I need to let off the stress and go see a really interesting and provocative film. It was my fault for not reading more into it, but I still was a victim to faulty advertising to some extent. This was NOT a good movie to be relaxing with Hana.

What I got was 90% Spanish Civil War film and about 10% a Fantasy film. I was in the mood for a fantasy film. I was not in the mood for a war film. Call me an idiot if you must, but I'm just human. I wasn't ready for it. There are times when I want to see a war film, and times when I really don't. This was one of those times I really didn't. Thinking back, I probably would have enjoyed this movie more if I had known about this, but watching extreme brutal and sadistic violence was not my idea of a night out.

Despite this, however, the film had pretty good acting and cinematography but I felt a little cheated with the writing. I honestly felt all the characters were a little one-dimensional (I do admit this is essential at times for big dramas) but more importantly I did not connect with Ofelia. The challenges she faced were, as another reviewer pointed out, "arbitrary, unpoetic, and tasklike". And "none of them really challenge her mind, her spirit, or her heart". I have to agree with all these things. Most of the movie she is just blindly following Pan's directions. And the scene where she disregards the fairies to eat the grape from the table really showed the idiocy of her character. She seemed to just be leisurely strolling through her fantasy world for no apparent reason. This made me not really like her character, which made the last scene where she got shot, not very compelling.

Another complaint about the fantasy presented is that it did not effectively parallel the real world. The only bloated metaphor I could pull from the film was that the dark violent fantasy themes were comparable to the dark violent events going on around her. Other than that, none of the actual substance of what was going on in the fantasy world really came together in the plot. And by the end when it is really obvious it is all in her head (or atleast not connected at all to the "real world"), I felt cheated. It's not that I didn't agree with this seperation, but it just made me feel like it was a big waste of my time. The whole film could have existed as a movie about Spanish fascists and the girl's perspective could have been deleted and it still would have worked.

I was torn after the film was over about what I really thought. But the truth was the film didn't really make me think at all. It just made me depressed. I really didn't care about any of the characters and the story didn't bring about any deep meaning that I had hoped for. What was supposed to be a beautiful, thought provoking film came off as a cliched battle between spanish facists and rebels with fantasy elements here and there slapped on.

I can see how some would like this film, but the faults in the script really bring it down for me. The film had a lot of potential and there were elements I really liked. But all in all I really didn't like it. Having seen The Fountain not too long before, I knew what kind of film gives me hope for the artists of the future. Watching both these films really brings back the meaning of what works and what doesn't in my mind.… Expand

Anyone who felt this movie had bad writing or no meaning needs to take a film appreciation class. this is not a movie for people who dont want to think or make their own ideas about what the director was trying to say. For those who did not uderstand the movie it about fasicism and religion. Think chronicles of narnia with the closing scenes. The major theme of this movie is to no follow blindly but to question and create your own beliefs, to do what you feel is right and not what others tell you to do. Also many have complained that the violence was over the top. first of all we are talking about post-civil war spain. violence happened, its simple as that. Also it is a fairy tale. and no not like the fairy tales we have today but like the original fairy tales that the brothers brimm were able to collect. ever notice the violence and brutality in those tales. now bring them to real life and place those images in a modern movie and you will get more gore and violence then is in this movie. anthother complain is that the characters are one sided and are cliched. again its a fairy tale thats the way the characters are supposed to be in order to clearly polarcize the difference between good and evil. There are enough positice reviews on here to where i will not talk about the lighting and camera work or the special effects. But another complaint i hear was that people expected a different movie and because of this gave the movie a bad review. You should not base a reviewon the type of movie you wanted to see but the actuall elements that the movie you saw brought to the screen. just because a movie does not have as much fantasy as your stars wars fan wanted to see does not make it a bad movie. all-in-all this is the best movie of the year but not for those who do not know how to appreciate fine film making.… Expand

Am I the only one that hated this film? It had some interesting visuals, but my huge gripe was the characters were completely lacking in depth. Really, all you needed to know about anyone was whether they were a Franco Fascist (bad guy, boo!) or a Red (good guy, yay!). The plot was contrived and arbitrary; the obstacles had no logic other than to make the movie run for the desired number of minutes. The whole viewing experience was so artificial that I couldn't care less who came out on top.… Expand

Pans Labyrinth may seem simple at first,but scratch away at the above layers and it's as complex as a film can get. IAre the fairies and things the girl sees make-believe or real. Is it all in her mind, is she mad, or is everyone around her mad? Examine the story closely and it can be made more life-like. The fawn that tells the girl to steal the baby and do all this bad stuff could just be paedophile. She lives in a war torn area. So the monster with eyes in it's hands couldbe a blind person, who has been tortured to feel their way around. The film is deep, you have to think to get it and it's also beautifully haunting.… Expand

Flawless masterpiece. Unforgettable.

This may be my favorite movie. I personally interpret the magic / religious elements in the movie as metaphor, although I'm aware of Del Toro's opinion on magic. This film and it's ending are (to me) a profound insight into the human need for religion, the need to believe in life beyond death etc. in a world that is often cruel and without meaning. I'm personally an agnostic but this film gave me a new understanding of the religious mindset. A beautiful film that works on almost every level. Everyone should see it.… Expand

Without a doubt, this is the epitome of cinema. Everything in the movie is so beautiful. I wish the people giving the movie bad ratings had the patience could go half of a second without seeing someone get shot. It's not that kind of movie.

An absolute masterpiece from Guillermo del Toro. A fairy tale movie for adults, this movie is perfectly done and brilliantly acted. You'll be mesmerized by the wonders of the fairy tale world that Ofelia dives into while at the same time shocked and terrified of the the reality she lives in. Please don't be deterred by the fact that the movie is in Spanish, and you'll have to read subtitles. Doing so will cause you to miss out an absolutely incredible film.… Expand

One of my favorite films of all time. I will admit that the first time I saw Fauno I jumped a bit. Very dark but very appealing. People just hate it because they can't read the subtitles.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pans Labyrinth is a masterpiece of cinematic imagination. If one can't see the good in this film (and at the moment theres a 105 of you) then I commiserate with how you feel about the world. The most uplifting, disturbing, poignant, enchanting and mesmerising fairytale of all time- without doubt in my mind. Guillermo Del Toro is a true master.… Expand

Fantastic movie. The stories of the war and the fairy tale going on in the middle blend very well, and the movie is worth reading (if you don't speak spanish). Very well acted and directed.

Both haunting and strangely alluring with its stunning atmosphere of fantasy and ominous mystery, the innocence of Pan and the terrifying events that unfold around her in both realms of her life provide a journey for the imagination that is epic, but full of horror and sorrow that is woven into this majestic tale that is a modern classic that will stand the test of time.

Pan's Labyrinth is a good movie, it is creative, thrilling and entertaining. The dark twist to this movie is very well appreciated. The plot is great and visually dazzling, sure to keep you hooked and the acting is very good too. The creatures in the movie and scary and tense moments are very well played out. There are not really any flaws with the story other than maybe some tiny missteps but other than that it's good. Overall Pan's Labyrinth is a great movie that presents a great story while bringing much maturity, suspense, and entertainment to the fairy tale. Breakdown of "Pan's Labyrinth": Presentation: 9.7, Plot: 9.5, Acting: 9.8, Dialogue: 9.9, Lasting Apppeal: 9.6. Score: 9.7 out of 10 "Amazing"… Expand

Pan's Labyrinth is imaginative, visually dazzling, magically adventurous, perfectly gruesome along with fantastic performances make this one of the greatest movies ever made and it is perfect for adults. I give this movie 98%.

Beautiful, magical, visceral, disturbing. These are only a few words of many that can describe Pan's Labyrinth. By far, it is one of the greatest fantasy films of all time that parallels two stories, one realistic, the other fantastic, and merges them together so that they end with ultimately the same message: Continue to dream and your dream will come true, even if only for yourself and even if only in death.… Expand

Guillermo del Toro creates a contrast between two worlds and a dazzling look at both war and a girl's way of coping with the horrors of her surroundings.

A magnificent achievement that breaks through barriers of foreign language films. Intensely and delicately directed film that leaves quite an impression. A beautiful story that excels on all levels.

This is a real movie. All movies should be like this.

What a fantastic film! A masterful blend of horror, fantasy and drama. Del Toro is a true visionary. The fact that it's in Spanish makes it ten times better.

A wonderful journey, though cruel and perverse. The first time I watched it I couldn't but feel overwhelmed by the performances, specially Ofelia and Vidal. The visuals are simply astounding, and the storytelling, captivating. This movie will endure in the hearts and souls of everyone who watched it, whether you love it or hate it.

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Definitely a modern day classic. The background story about the rebels works beautifully with the protagonist's imagining of a world she wants to escape to. There need to be more fantasy movies like this. The acting was quite good, and Pan's costume too. The score was haunting and memorable. Fast paced. Never for a second did I lose my interest. Two hours of pure fun!… Expand

Pan's Labyrinth is a fantasy film tailored to adults (think Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups). Del Toro masterfully combines elements of horror and drama to create an almost hybrid fantasy film. The film was brilliantly cast, and almost perfectly acted. For a fantasy film; the acting brought a sense of realism. The major high-point of this film is the story, which was beautifully crafted, and thoroughly entertaining. Pan's Labyrinth is an all around amazing fantasy film.… Expand

Six years since I first saw this but the imagery still burns in my mind. I always avoided subtitled films but this movie changed everything for me. Breathtaking, horrific, hypnotic..you cannot turn away. You can't discern where reality ends and fantasy begins. Del Toro blends it all into a terrifying, visceral nightmare. All you can do is ride it out to the bittersweet finale. I cannot fault this magical, highly original experience. You will not see many films of this calibre in your life. Such a fantastic, haunting, wonderful dream.… Expand

Magical is not enough to describe the feeling while watching "Pan's Labyrinth" words can not explain how much wonder this movie contains, it is my favorite movie of all time, exquisite, spectacular, dark, mysterious, sad, thrilling, all in all, in one movie, which is so underrated, twisted, original, horrific, beautiful and the most important word which is not enough...MASTERPIECE!

The only "tale" here is the historical aspect. And it's rather a sad tale since it's a blatant propaganda. Other than that, questions arise like: Why so brutal? Why so dystopian? And why is the hourglass one fifth full after a few seconds but goes on for several minutes after that? One of the worst movies I've ever seen...

"Pan's Labyrinth" by Guillermo del Toro is a beautiful yet grim film about the fairy-tale-like story of a child set during the troubled times of the Spanish Civil War. Guillermo del Toro brings out the wonder of childhood innocence while juxtaposing it to the harsh realities found in desperate times. It is a twisted fairy-tale that is shown aesthetically well and is told through the imaginative perspective of a child making fantasies to overcome struggles and tragedies. Del Toro's visual masterpiece is both plot and character driven and this combined with its dark themes make it an adult's fairy-tale that is easily toys with your emotions. Lovers of bittersweet endings will truly enjoy this film and even after the film is over; it continues to linger in your mind and may incite even further discussion.… Expand

The best thing about this movie (and so many other movies too) is the soundtrack. The actors weren't so bad and I liked the idea of making some of that fascist Franco regime stuff viewable for a wider audience. Very clever idea to bait moviegoers with the fantasy part, and I am sure many saw the trailer (like me) and couldn't wait to see another fine fantasy film. Nevertheless, in the end it is just a history movie (definitely focusing on the characters and their role in this time of history) with the famous Nazi-like bad guy I have seen in so many other movies before. In the end I would say it is quite an interesting idea to combine these 2 elements and make a movie out of it, but both are working on completely different level. They just don't match in my opinion! Innocence and violence?! There are much better movies out there dealing with that topic...but surely none with at least a bit of fantasy like this one.… Expand

It was unnecessary violent and gory. The fantasy aspect was very limited. The war, cruelty and fighting took over. Parts didn't make sense. *SPOILER*Why did she get to continue the quest when she broke the rules (By stupidly eating the food when she was told numerous times not to eat because her life depended on it) and was banned from the underworld kingdom. This movie is highly over rated.

I'm having a hard time seeing what so many critics seem to have loved about this film. It's being marketed as a "fairy tale for grownups" but what that basically means is that it's a fairy tale but with graphically violent images thrown in there as well. The fairy tale portion of the film is shallow and under-developed ("follow 3 steps and you'll be princess") and way too simple to have ever stood on its own; it also lacks any real magic. But most of Pan's Labyrinth isn't following the fairy tale subplot, it centers on a story of a very evil army captain who commits some seriously violent murders and tortures. Much of the movie focuses on this story. And while I like gratuitous violence in movies as much as the next guy, Guillermo del Toro really overdoes it here, to the point where it just becomes not only unpleasant to watch, but even unintentionally comical. (Within the span of only about 10 minutes, a man is stabbed repeatedly, has his cheek sliced open, stitches it back together himself, drinks poison, bleeds profusely, and then, to top it all off, is shot in the face right on screen.) The fairy tale portions of the movie lack magic, the army portions are graphic and violent but not exactly fun to watch, and overall, at 2 hours, it definitely stretches the viewers' patience. The unanimous critical acclaim this has gotten is a little puzzling to me.… Expand