Not all fairy tales are for children

Rating: 10/10 (29 April 2008)

I probably wouldn't have thought to buy this film but I heard a very positive review on the radio and thought it might be good to watch something different. I'm glad that I did as it is a fantastic film combining fantasy with brutal realism.
In the beginning we are told that a princess from an underground kingdom left her realm and died and her father was waiting for her soul to return. We then see Ofelia, a young girl, reading a book of fairy tales as she and her pregnant mother are driven through Franco's Spain shortly after the civil war on their way to their new home with a captain in the Army.
On the way they stop and Ofelia sees a creature that looks like a giant stick insect that she takes to be a fairy, when they continue on their journey the fairy follows them and later that night, when shown a drawing of a fairy by Ofelia changes shape to look like the image. The fairy then takes Ofelia into the labyrinth next to the mill she is living in. Here she meets the faun who tells her that she is in fact the princess mentioned at the start of the film and that she must complete three tasks to prove that her soul has not been corrupted my mortal life.
Unlike many fantasy films Ofelia doesn't leave our world and remain in the fantasy world but goes there to complete a task and returns. In many ways the real world is far more frightening than the fantasy world as her mother is very ill due to complications with her pregnancy and her new step-father is a brutal man who we see casually killing and torturing people while fighting the rebels who remain in the hills.
The viewer is never explicitly told whether the fantasy world is real or a creation of Ofelia's so different people will differing opinions on the matter. The acting is is very good, especially Ivana Baquero as Ofelia and Sergi López as the wicked Captain Vidal and the cinematography is stunning throughout.
Be warned though, this may be a fairy tale but it is not suitable for children as there are scenes of brutal violence which may not be gratuitous as they help establish the character but certainly shouldn't be seen by youngsters.