IMDb top 250: #116
Rating 10/10
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writers: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Sergi López, Ivana Baquero, Mariabel Verdú & Doug Jones
"You're getting older, and you'll see that life isn't like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you'll learn that, even if it hurts."
Pan's Labyrinth is the story of Ofelia who along with her pregnant mother goes to live with her evil Step-Father Captain Vidal who hunts and fights the Spanish Maquis in Franco's Spain 1944. Ofelia escapes this dark and dangerous world into a mystical world just as dark and dangerous and has to complete three tasks before the next full moon to reveal if she is the true Princess of the Underworld - who had left to join the surface many years before and the sunlight had erased her momory. When I first saw Pan's Labyrinth I was blown away, so much so I immediately went to the next showing to watch again.
The word masterpiece is thrown around so nonchalantly when people describe movies but to me this is a masterpiece. The film is essentially a fairytale but is given a really dark and brilliant twist which works so well against the backdrop of post civil-war Spain. The film is so beautifully made by Guillermo and co and features some amazing CGI and makeup.
The cast are stunning especially Sergi Lopez as the sadistic Captain Vidal; whilst his actions are brutal and extreme you can understand why he is this way and how his fathers death made him the man he became. Ivana Baquero is delightful as Ofelia and gives a very mature and lovely performance. I love Maribel Verdu in this movie - who I had previously loved in Y Tu Mamá También - and think Mercedes is a great character! During her scenes alongside Captain Vidal in the last 30 minutes you see her character really grow and you'll be cheering for her when she does!
For a fairytale, the movie is extremely violent and very tense in scenes, not least the one with The White Man and is definitely not for children; my kind of fairytale.
Pan's Labyrinth is an amazing and magical movie that really deserves it's place in the Empire 500!
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