Pan's Labyrinth

Earthly life is sad and violent, while the world of supernatural beings is magical and pleasant. In this film, however, things are definitely not like that. Yet in the supernatural world, you can at least eventually find justice. In the earthly world, no. Or yes? Just as Ophelia cannot reconcile herself with the (albeit inconspicuous) injustice done to an innocent creature and, as a result, becomes an innocent victim herself, Spain was forced to become a victim of Franco's fascism for four decades. Ophelia is rewarded for it in the fairy tale world. Spain, in the real world, may not seem like it at first glance, but there is still a chance - if the Spaniards were not willing to sacrifice the innocent for their own happiness, the new generation, even if it emerges from the horror of the previous generation, can experience more just and free times. (28/06/2012)

Pan’s Labyrinth has everything that Tim Burton’s movies used to have in the old days – spiritual content clad in a stunning visual package. It is a unique fantasy that blends the fantastic world of a little girl’s imagination with the cruelest face of the adult world. It is thus two powerful movies in one, leading to a surprising, poetic and very thought-provoking ending. Pan’s Labyrinth seems like an adaptation of a rich fantasy novel, perfectly rendered on the silver screen. Guillermo del Toro’s genius lies in the fact that his film is not based on any book but on his own highly sophisticated script. Introducing the horrifying aspect of the film in form of the actions of Sergi López’s character at the very beginning of the film is an arguably brutal, but very effective decision! (29/09/2017)

The most balanced and the best del Toro movie I’ve seen. And it has the same theme music as in Circus Humberto. A chamber price about war with a big pinch of gloomy, fairytale fantasy. The problem is the length, because especially in the first hour the pace is far too relaxed. On the other hand, it is hard to fault the second half; everything is flawless. It’s a sort of successful concoction containing The Devil’s Backbone and the unmistakable storytelling poetry of Neil Gaiman. (27/12/2006)

Once upon a time... This unusual fairytale from Guillermo del Toro gave me much more than I expected. Pan’s Labyrinth is full of enthusiasm and love for fantasy, imagination and fairytales. The mysterious “faun-like" atmosphere alternates nicely with real life from the end of the Second World War, without taking away anything from one or the other. The acting performances are excellent and the little Ivan Baquero has my respect. She played difficult scenes amazingly and truly convincingly. The superb makeup shared hugely in conjuring up the almost horror feeling to the movie (especially the um... Pale Man was a work of genius) and I also liked the music which set a great atmosphere for the story. (06/07/2007)

Faun's Labyrinth meets all the requirements of a quality film - a strong story, the appropriate budget, an experienced director, and a solid cast. It is exactly the kind of fantasy that I like because it doesn't trample on the most cheaply stolen motifs from Tolkien in a thousand ways, but goes its own way and combines a classic fairy tale story with a realistically conceived war drama. It is original, emotional, tense, and artistically elaborate with excellent cinematography, and the director is not afraid of even naturalistic bloody scenes and ventures into the realm of pure horror. Overall impression: 90%. The pinnacle of Guillermo del Toro's work so far, which will be difficult for the director to surpass... (02/04/2009)