Pan's Labyrinth Review

My husband received the Blu-ray DVD version of Pan's Labyrinth, so one night we sat down together to watch.  I was immediately struck by the young actress who plays the film's heroine, Ofelia, as well as by the 1940s setting in Spain.  Soon into the movie, we realize that this isn't a zany-but-harmless Wonderland and poor Ofelia is not an innocent Alice.  Ofelia's childhood has been ripped apart by extreme cruelty, and the intense violence and bloodshed of war that she witnesses everywhere she turns.  Still, there is strength and integrity in this child and the movie takes us on a magical adventure in her search for truth and meaning.

This is an incredibly difficult film to describe because so much of it is allegorical in nature.  What literally happens is that Ofelia visits a magical faun in a labyrinth and agrees to complete a series of quests.  What happens symbolically through the tale is what captivated me most about this film. 

Above all, Pan's Labyrinth is an incredibly unique and magical movie that is both intellectually and artistically pleasing.  I didn't mind the subtitles at all; in fact, I became so engrossed in the movie that they just melted into the experience.  Although the main character is a girl, I would only recommend this movie for mature audiences.   There is quite a bit of violence and adult subject matter and it is not suitable for children.