It really deserves all the acclaim

Rating: 10/10 (28 February 2007)

The negative reviews of this film on IMDb seem to fall into two categories: a) it was too violent b) the fantasy element was too muted
Without getting too political, worse things are going on in the world at this very moment than were depicted in this film. While many people prefer entertainment that insulates them from the harsh realities of this world, one shouldn't get so indignant when a film portrays the world for what it is. Capitán Vidal was a fictitious character, but there are plenty of people exactly like him. Humans are capable of terrible atrocities and looking the other way does nothing to improve our nature. If violence offends people so much they should do something about real violence rather than writing nasty reviews about depictions of it.
The violence set a tone of desperation for Ofelia. Fairy tales themselves are extremely violent, and Disney cartoons are nothing like the stories they were based on. This film was rated R. What were you expecting?
It is easier to understand people who thought the fantasy element was eclipsed, and were maybe hoping for another Narnia or one of the other countless fantasy flicks that has come out in the wake of LOTR. This film touched on many of the most fundamental themes of mythology, such as parallel worlds, dangerous tasks, hidden identities, sacrifice, and death. It did something more than the standard fantasy movie, which is part of why it was such a great film.