One of the most beautiful works of cinematic art

Rating: Null/10 (26 August 2011)

Five years have passed since the end of the Spanish civil war, but the biggest European conflict to date, the second World War, is still running strong. A fairy tale loving, innocent girl, Ophelia, and her pregnant mother move into a military base in the middle of a savage and unforgiving guerrilla warfare ridden countryside of Spain. The land has its stories of lore and mystique, which Ophelia ends up finding as an escape from the grim reality which is her life, and which end up being the defining point of her whole life. Her future lies beyond three tasks given to her by creatures never seen by anyone else alive.
This film was one of the most touching and beautiful things I have ever seen. The direction, editing, and - most of all - acting was beyond words. I am a complete stranger to Spanish cinema, but whatever it may be, this is very probably considered a masterpiece there too.
The film itself is a dark fantasy film set in the middle of the biggest war in recorded history. The mud, blood, fear and primal human actions are presented to the viewer in a way that really makes one immerse into the story and its setting. But it also succeeds in being a story based in a war zone without being an actual war film.
Ivana Baquero as Ophelia does, right next to Natalie Portman in Leon, the most convincing and emotional child actor role I have ever witnessed in any film. She is a beautiful and charismatic actor who alone makes this film more than worth watching. Sergi López is very convincing and scary in the role of the ruthless captain Vidal, and every other actor seem to work around those two mentioned characters like they were born to do it.
The cinematography and editing have nothing to do with the modern, "fashionable" gimmicks so many films cling to nowadays. Most of the cuts are subtle and graceful, and take advantage of the surrounding set. One of the few reasons I will not give this film a 10/10 rating is the poor portrayal of firearm usage. But even that does not bother me that much with this film, which i can honestly call a masterpiece.
All in all, I recommend this film to everyone. If you like fantasy, watch this. If you like war films, watch this. If you like films in general, watch this. And, most of all, if you have never watched a film before, watch this as your first one. Your two hours will not be spent for nothing.