Characters are just stereotypes

Rating: 6/10 (3 October 2010)

After reading all the positive reviews and being a great fan of Maribel Verdu (since her role in "Amantes"), I had great expectations before seeing this movie. Quite honestly, I was disappointed. The characters lack depth. All falangistas are incredibly bad and sadistic, and all nationalists republicans are good in this movie. Stereotypic. If Del Toro wanted to make Capitan Vidal really terrifying, he would have made a little bit more sympathetic at times, like "Landa" in Inglourious Basterds - probably the most terrifying nazi ever on the silver screen. Vidal could at least have been a little bit concerned for his wife when she was bearing his unborn son. But now, he is a facha macho, so he can not show emotions at any time. Even the symbolism of the labyrinth is too easy : especially the end, where the self sacrifice of Ofelia is a clear sign of a Messias, including the invitation to sit at the right hand of her father in a sort of a pagan Trinity (with her mother). The cinematography however is wonderful and the actor perform well, but the scenario is just too shallow for my taste.