Pan's Labyrinth Reviews

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...

Bottom-Line:  See Pan's Labyrinth!

We all need to escape the bitter entrails of reality from time-to-time, which is one of the reasons we watch movies, read books, etc.  Children, with their whimsical natures, sense of adventure and need to explore, find more inventive ways to escape the sometimes harsh world in which they find themselves trapped, oft-times not of their own accord. 

Magic and the arcane are still very much a part of their worlds; life has yet to beat the adult view of the things into their souls.   But what happens if your form of escapism is on par with the real world, if...

When I first wanted to rent this movie, I thought it was a children's fairy tale.  Good thing I paid attention to the rating.  It's a fairy tale, but not for children.  The movie was made in Spain so it has English subtitles, which doesn't bother me.  I've found that some foreign films are better than American films.  It begins by telling you about a princess who lived underground, but because of wanting to be above ground, she runs away.  I don't want to ruin the movie so I will just tell you that the story progresses from there.  It has violence and gore, so you don't want kids watching...

This is a very different and engaging movie. Even though the dialogue is done with subtitles (the original movie was filmed in Spain), the storyline is so absorbing that you don't notice you're reading at all.

The movie is a cross between a war movie and an adult's fairy tale (definitely not for children), with special effects and costuming that will captivate your attention. There is quite a bit of violence, but it fits in well with the storyline.

The storyline is such a unique concept, different from any other film out there, that it really makes a lasting impression on the viewer. I originally...

Guillermo del Toro's beautifully crafted film blends historical facts into a fantasy world in order to tell a coming of age story, which draws parallels between the horrors of the Spanish Civil War (or any other war, for that matter) and its effects on a people who have to endure it.

A truly accomplished storyline and unique attention to details make this overall a cinematic masterpiece that is, unlike many others which claim such distinction, extremely approachable and ultimately a delicacy to be had with all senses!

I was not at all pleased with this movie as I don't care for movies with sub titiles.  I didn't even watch it all the way thru.  Too many things get missed.