Movie Review

Pan's Labyrinth

Highly recommended. The movie is in Spanish and has subtitles, but it's definitely worth it. It is a fanciful twist of Spain in the early 1940's during WWII at a Spanish outpost in the middle of the woods. It is a bit gruesome at times and I had to look away routinely or else face nightmares or worse for the next few days. Plus, who needs to get that accustomed to violence? A young girl and her pregnant mother go to visit the girl's stepdad who is a captain at the outpost. He is a cruel, ruthless military man interested in his wife only for the male child she carries. Her pregnancy is difficult and the baby barely survives delivery. Meanwhile the girl is off exploring a labyrinth behind the outpost. She discovers from a faun that she is Princess Moanna(?) of the underworld and must complete 3 tasks by the full moon to open the labyrinth's portal and take reign again in her kingdom. Enthralled by the idea of leaving such a hellish place on earth, she accepts the challenge.

The movie is amazing. Beautifully written, directed and filmed storyline. The acting is superb; especially by the main character, the young girl. It is an adult movie as it's rated R and quite gory at times--think Schindler's list or Saving Private Ryan (executions, torture, etc.).

Most annoying thing: the film got stuck about 2-3 minutes into the movie and we watched the light melt the film--literally. About 45 minutes later they finally started the movie. About another 45 minutes and they had the subtitles back on.