Dark, depressing, and beautiful.

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 2019)

This movie tells the tale of a young girl named Ofelia who escapes from her wicked stepfather to a mysterious labyrinth. There she meets a faun who explains that she is the long lost queen of the underworld and must complete three tasks to return. On that journey she must make tough decisions that could put her life in danger. The movie is during the Spanish Revolution and switches back and forth between the brutal, violent world to the mysterious yet beautiful underworld.
This movie is shown in a poem, fairytale like way. You don't actually know what's real and what isn't, but you know what Ofelia sees and interacts with. It's a dark movie with amazing cinematography. Everything about it gives you an unsettling tone to it, but in a way, you're okay with it. The faun may seem menacing, but is kind and gentle to Ofelia the so called princess. The ending makes it seem like a fairytale, that Ofelia has died and her soul has returned to the underworld where she will prosper for eternity. Until it changes back to the real world where she has been shot and killed. The camera switches to a white flower with the last words, "And it is said that the Princess returned to her father's kingdom. That she resigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people and she left behind small traces of her time on earth, visible only to those who know where to look."
An amazing film by a great director. Enchanting story about two polarizing worlds. Words can't describe how beautiful this movie is.