Superb!

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2007)

How often does a film manage to be serious, meaningful and exciting? Be visually dazzling, inventive and put across a serious message? Contain childish flights of whimsy and sickening violence? Well, not that often, but this tour de force from Guillermo del Toro is one that does. This is an excellent movie based upon whatever criteria you wish to apply, although the most difficult criterion would be "what's it like and is it better?" as it is quite unlike anything else. The fantasy sequences and characters are astonishing, and are used sparingly and so more effectively than you may anticipate from the trailer. This is far from Jim Henson's Labyrinth  a grim meditation on the evil that men may do rather than a happy-go-lucky coming of age parable, and is a film that truly explores the horrific darkness that lies at the heart of the best fairy tales. Not uplifting and not for kids, this is intelligent and serious cinema and is truly excellent.