So, a little girl with the stepfather from hell thinks she is a princes.

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2007)

First of all, this is no Lord of the Rings. It has a beauty and complexity which is all its own. It took me three times to watch it and analyze it as a film. The mesmerizing beauty of the movie impede me to actually critique the editing, acting and so forth the first time I saw the movie. Although the film is too dark at times, it is just a little blemish in what is otherwise a gorgeous face. Pan's Labyrinth is a simple vessel that hides complex issues. Del Toro delivers a deliberate masterpiece where no stroke is unintentional. It might seem as if the characters are hammered into a position. The army is evil and the mother is shallow. Still, part of their nuances are shown. The Captain self hatred is shown when he slice the throat of his image on the mirror. The mother selfishness is an attempt for survival and maybe part of her disillusion. Whether Ofelia is truly a princes is also a question Del Toro gives to the viewer. If you are more like Ofelia, you will believe she is a princes. If you are like Mercedes, you don't believe but you allow others to be whatever they want. If you are like the Captain, besides being monster, you hate this movie.