Horrifying and sublime

Rating: 10/10 (7 January 2008)

"Pan's Labyrinth" is at turns horrifying and sublime. A dark fantasy tale set at the tail-end of the Spanish Civil war, it involves a young girl Ofelia being drawn into a fantastical world while starkly devastating realities unfold around her. Yes, it IS in Spanish and yes, there ARE subtitles, but don't let that detract you from experiencing what is probably one of the best films of the decade. The effects are sometimes bizarre and it is absolutely not suitable for the kiddies, but anyone with a love for film will appreciate the beauty and intelligence behind Guillermo Del Toro's best to date. An absolute masterpiece!