Non-domestic movies sometimes seem.....strange........

Rating: 3/10 (20 May 2007)

I decided to wait to see this flick on DVD and enjoy it on my 50" plasma with surround sound. Well, it's just been released and I am certainly happy that I didn't blow $8. to see it in the theater. Instead, I blew a free movie pass at the video store.
I honestly don't know what the fuss was all about. Accolades are numerous for this picture, and I have seen MANY movies both foreign and domestic but, quite frankly, I just don't get it. There are a few gross out scenes (but nothing worse than what you've seen in, say "Saving Private Ryan"), allegorical development of the young girl's "fantasy" against the backdrop of the Spanish political revolution in the 1940's, subtitles (so you'd better be watching the screen), and it's fairly reasonable entertainment. Good effects, but not as good as what's around in other films currently. Reasonable story development, and execution by the actors but, they ARE speaking Spanish, so I don't really know if it IS good or if I just THINK that it might be. But I DON'T think that it deserves the very high ratings awarded by critics, or viewers in this venue. Is it highly rated because everyone thinks that it SHOULD be ? It all seems like very artsy-fartsy, herd mentality.
Compare to "Apocalypto". Again, a sub-titled movie, but it has a far superior "feel" to it relative to execution and flow. No one speaks English in it but the story and acting conveys a very high level of understanding that totally involved me as an audience participant. Same with "The Passion". Perhaps it's because Mel Gibson has a greater insight into American audiences' taste and understanding and can convey that in his execution?....beats me!
No matter. I found "Pan's Labrynth" to be ponderous and somewhat tedious to watch. I sped through a few parts because I was bored with the time it took to get from point a-b. In short....if you are an admirer of foreign movies well outside of the mainstream I guess it's worth a look. It just didn't do it for me.