Rating: R
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdú.
Rating: 4.7 stars
In this much acclaimed winner of 3 Oscars (Best Art Direction, Cinematography and Makeup), you are taken back into the Fascist Spain of 1944, where rebel forces - hidden in the mountains - valiantly fought Franco's soldiers. But the main character in this astonishingly elaborate and terrifying fairy tale is Ofelia, a shy and introverted girl of about ten years of age who travels to a military headquarters with her pregnant mother to join her stepfather, a sadistic officer of the Fascist army. Taken to a place filled with the terrifyingly grim reality of war, Ofelia encounters a magical world that promises to take her away from all the misery that surrounds her. She meets a fairy in the woods who leads her to a ruined labyrinth where an ancient faun (flawlessly played by Doug Jones) tells her that she is actually a princess. To prove her "royal" lineage, the girl must endure three horrible tasks; if she survives these tests, then she can be reunited with her parents the Queen and King of the magical world she really belongs to. As Ofelia's life becomes more infused with the harsh reality around her, the magical world that gives her a means of escape also becomes more intense. "Pan's Labyrinth" truly is a work of art by acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro. Although sometimes very difficult to watch, this is a movie that should not be missed. Dark, horrifying at times, stunningly beautiful, moving, deeply sad, it certainly offers a most unique experience to all movie goers. It is definitely a film that will remain with you long after you finish watching it. It is this lingering power that some special movies possess that awaken the mind and broaden the horizons of imagination. "Pan's Labyrinth" will certainly stir your soul, leaving an echo of powerful images, and a sadness of innocence lost.