Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

User Review

• 

  BarneyNuttall

  9 / 10

  Del Toro manages to blend together fantasy and historical drama in this twisted fairytale. The film reminded me of family films such as the Narnia series or The Spiderwick Chronicles which always alluded to a darkness without ever actually showing it due to age ratings.
  
  Here, Del Toro unleashes darkness and spreads it throughout the film. It is violent, it is scary, it is harrowing; yet it remains a fairytale, of sorts.
  
  The film sparks many debates, from the origin of the creatures, on their existence, on Ofelia's role, on Faun's role: there is so much to talk about in this film. The cyclical structure of the piece almost invites us to rewatch it and make a different judgement.
  
  Compliments have to be given to make up and costume design. The prosthetics used on Faun and on the Pale Man are incredible. You absolutely believe that these creatures are real. You can feel their skin, giving them a tactile quality.
  
  Overall, this film achieves a mighty task of melding two genres into one beautifully twisted fairytale which drags you along two very different, yet intrinsically human, stories.

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