Fairytale for Grown Ups

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2007)

Much has been said/written about the underlying tones in this picture. The fascist regime on the one hand, the dream(?) world on the other hand. Del Toro leaves it up to you, so everyone can decide what they make of it ...
That also can be said about the fantasy world. Does it really exist or is it all in the imagination of Ofelia? I only watched the movie once, so I'm not quite sure what to make of it ... but my first guess would be that it all was a dream or an escape reality Ofelia had. I'm sure some psychologist would/could use that to analyse me ... ;o) But that doesn't matter after all, you have a really good fairy tale for adults here. Some might find it a little bit too offensive or too bloody. One thing is for sure, it's not for children.
A few minor things bothered me, while I was watching the movie. Nothing of importance, but here are two examples ... When Ofelia escaped from the monster that had his eyes in his palms, she left a piece of chalk behind ... Now why didn't the "monster" use this to come into the real world? (a logical explanation would be, my believe that it's all a dream) ... or why did the faun forgive Ofelia, that she did eat at the table? Just because she is a child? Two of the "fairys" were killed because of that (although in the end they seem to be back again ... if that's them) ... That also could be explained, if it was all a dream ...
Anyway, I might have thought too much about it. It still is a good picture, with some explicit scenes of violence!