Review by Jeff Hudson
Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro
Starring:
Ivana Baquero/Ofelia
Sergi Lopez/Captain Vidal
Maribel Verdu/Mercedes
Ariadna Gil/Carmen
Plot:
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 labyrinth 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.
Acting:
The acting in this film was fantastic, Ivana Baquero(Ofelia) was such a innocent character that you just felt horrible for and the situation she was put into, Sergi Lopez(Captain Vidal) was a major asshole this guy played his role of the out of control tyrant to perfection, Maribel Verdu(Mercedes) was very caring and was easy to relate with all of her sincerest actions.
Gore:
The gore was well done, the violence that was portrayed during the war scenes and the torture scene was very realistic, we get a face smashed in, lots of gunshots, stabbing, and scenes of war.
T & A:
None of that here.
Directing:
Del Toro was spot on here the visual landscapes of of 1940’s Spain was amazing it felt very natural. When it switched to the fantasy side of things we get a very imaginative and unique look that is brilliant, and even though it was a fantasy land it still had the feel of the bleak and dreadful aspects of Spain.
Soundtrack:
We get a epic score that was both bold and beautiful at the same time.
Final thoughts:
Pan’s Labyrinth is a visual masterpiece that also has the depth and emotional aspects of hard hitting drama. This film sucked me into the time period of the movie and had me caring for the daughter and what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed the story and the look of this movie and would recommend it to anyone, this is a must see. I give it a 10/10.