Wow for Pan's Labyrinith

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2008)

I failed to see this film at the cinema and regret that as having just seen it on DVD I was amazed by the quality of the production and the haunting beauty of the alternate reality Ofelia creates, or is drawn into. The ending is both wonderful and poignant, well done to all for sticking with the ideas within the story, and for blending the real and mystical worlds so completely. The imagery and ideas swept me along and I was intrigued by the darkness of the alternate world. Each performance was carefully played with an inherent bleakness that summed up living through a war. This period of history is often overlooked in Europe as the wider war with fascism in Germany and Italy holds prominence. The civil war's confusion echoes the confusion Ofelia is feeling and the adults reactions are very well thought out. A true fairytale for adults.