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Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones ... see more see more... , Álex Angulo , Manolo Solo , César Vea , Roger Casamajor , Ivan Massagué , Gonzalo Martin Uriarte , Eusebio Lazaro , Paco Vidal , Juanjo Cucalon , Lina Mira , Mario Zorilla , Sebastián Haro , Mila Espiga , Pepa Pedroche , María Jesús Gatoo , Ana Saez , Chani Martín , Milo Taboada , Fernando Albizu , Pedro G. Marzo , Jose Luis Torrijos , Inigo Garces , Fernando Tielve , Federico Luppi , Chicho Campillo , Brittney Bush , Elizabeth Irastorza , Shirley Cheechoo , Chong Che Leung

Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro returns to the phantasmagorical cinema that defined such early fare as Cronos and The Devil's Backbone with this haunting fantasy-drama set in the aftermath of the... read more read more... Spanish Civil War and detailing the strange journeys of an imaginative young girl who may be the mythical princess of an underground kingdom. Her mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), recently remarried to sadistic army captain Vidal (Sergi Lpez) and soon to bear the cruel military man's child, shy young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is forced to entertain herself as her recently-formed family settles into their new home nestled deep in the Spanish countryside. As Ofelia's bed-ridden mother lies immobilized in anticipation of her forthcoming child and her high-ranking stepfather remains determined to fulfill the orders of General Francisco Franco to crush a nearby guerilla uprising, the young girl soon ventures into an elaborate stone labyrinth presided over by the mythical faun Pan (Doug Jones). Convinced by Pan that she is the lost princess of legend and that in order to return to her underground home she must complete a trio of life-threatening tasks, Ofelia sets out to reclaim her kingdom and return to her grieving father as Vidal's housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verd) and doctor (Alex Angulo) plot secretly on the surface to keep the revolution alive. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Release Date: December 29, 2006

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DVD Release Date: May 18, 2007

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Guillermo del Toro El Fauno Pan's Labyrinth Pan's Labyrinth Pan's Labyrinth The Pale Man El Laberinto del Fauno Pan Pan's Labyrinth The Pale Man from 'Pan's Labyrinth' The Ancient One Pan's Labyrinth Pan's Labyrinth A satyr and his human... Spanish beauty. another poster Pretty, glistening eyes. Promo one sheet
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Flixster Reviews (77,593)

  • fb1378820053
    April 16, 2013
    fb1378820053
    A
  • MrMarakai
    March 28, 2013
    MrMarakai
    Despite being quite a prominent name in cinema just now, director Guillermo del Toro hasn't actually made that many movies. He came to attention in 1993 with his excellent feature debut "Cronos" before Hollywood quickly took note and employed him on such films as "Mimic" and "Bla... read morede II". However, his strengths lie in his own original work where he retains creative control. Of which, there are three that really stand out; the aforementioned "Cronos" is one, "The Devil's Backbone" another and "Pan's Labyrinth" - which to this day, remains his masterpiece.
    Following the Spanish Civil War in 1944, young Ofelia (Baquero) moves to a rural town with her pregnant mother (Gil) to live with her Fascist military stepfather (López) who is determined to weed out resistance fighters to Franco's dictatorship. It's in this remote town that Ofelia meets a faun in the centre of a labyrinth who tells her that she is a princess. However, to claim her rightful place in this magical land she must perform certain gruesome tasks to prove her royalty.
    It's hard to pigeon hole a film like Pan's Labyrinth as there are so many facets to it's structure. On the one hand, it's a political/historical drama and on the other it's a fantasy/horror. Few (if any) films will spring to mind when these genres are mentioned in the same breath which reflects the very craftsmanship that's at work here. One thing that you can undoubtedly count on, though, is it's highly imaginative nature. Sure, we've had fantastical stories before where a young girl escapes her constrained life to enter bigger and more possible worlds. We've also had commentaries on the brutalities and restrictions of fascist regimes but to combine them into a wondrous journey of life, struggle and imagination is an amalgamation that I have rarely witnessed. Such is the case with this film and such is the skill of del Toro in his writing and handling of the material. He incorporates an abundance of childhood fantasies, from delving into books and mythology - that feature fauns and fairies - to the power of a piece of chalk on the wall. This may be built around the point of view of a child's eye but its also not afraid to explore the darker recesses of that very imagination and construct some of the most monstrous creatures that can inhabit that realm. Del Toro is in absolute command here and he's aided, immeasurably, by cinematographer Guillermo Navarro in capturing and contrasting his world within a world; one is a visually striking and enchanting fantasia, the other a stark and brutal reality. It's a balance that's difficult to achieve but with deft handling of coexisting genres, del Toro's vision is able to come to fruition and manages to be both a reminder of the rigidity of fascism and the escapable ability of an imaginary youthful mind.
    To embody the young protagonist, we are gifted an outstanding performance from Ivana Baquero who carries a heavy weight on her young shoulders and does so, with a skill beyond her years. Sergi Lopez also provides marvellous support as the bestial Captain Vidal who's a smouldering villain that's on a par with any of the war genre's nastiest characters.
    It's very difficult to find criticism in this film as there simply, isn't any. The only one that stands is in the film's title. It's slightly misleading as "Pan" never actually features here. The original international title translates as "Labyrinth of the Fuan" which is probably the most pedantic gripe you'll ever hear from me.
    A stunning piece of work that's both beautifully and horrifically executed. Modern masterpiece is a term that gets brandished around too often these days but this is one that's certainly deserving of such praise.

    Mark Walker
  • fb1033186916
    January 26, 2013
    fb1033186916
    Detailed review to follow.
  • fb1019018362
    December 14, 2012
    fb1019018362
    Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable. And great make up artist too.
  • spielberg00
    October 6, 2012
    spielberg00
    The film is not at all a straightforward experience. It's instantaneous proof that Mexican writer-producer-director Guillermo del Toro, quite simply, is a genius. Some of the most depressing plot elements are gathered and thus used as seeds that evolve into some of the most ele... read moregantly beautiful, wholly unforgettable moments. For instance, the lullaby a fearful Ofelia is sung near the film's midpoint. There's an exuberant amount of curiosity as we venture through young Ofelia's journeys, but knowing that this is a getaway from her hideous lifestyle, the disturbing (not to mention graphic) depiction of war works in supporting the woefully pungent atmosphere, not marring it. Furthermore, as the film tells its story through the Spanish language, those who are fluent may absolutely pick up on more qualities the film has to offer. There's grandiose cinematography as well as an elaborate array of visuals, but a non-Spanish speaker could easily miss them with just devotion to subtitles.

    read it all at themoviefreakblog.com
  • DreamExtractor
    March 31, 2012
    DreamExtractor
    Pan's Labyrinth is a fantasy film unlike anything you will ever see. We are given fantasy films such as Narnia, Harry Potter, The Wizard Of Oz, Alice in Wonderland where kids are taken to a mystical world, but Pan's Labyrinth is different than all of those combined. Its a bit o... read moref a horror fantasy, a mature work of art for adults who wish to enjoy a fantasy just for them. Although the protagonist is a young girl, this film is anything but a children's film. Guillermo del Toro has created his masterpiece here and not only is it a great fantasy, I predict in many years it will be treasured as one of the greatest achievements in film of the 21st Century. The plot of the film is so imaginative and fearful that it could get the attention of anyone with a sense of imagination and fear, its so dark yet so elegant and I just found myself getting into the characters and the creatures which made this unlike any fantasy film ever made. The cast is incredible, espically Ivana Baquero who plays one of the best roles of a young actress I have seen in a long time. I was captivated by everything in this film, from the Faun, to the Pale Man with hands for eyes, from the evil step-father, everything here is just so dark and masterful that I think its safe to say this is one of the most imaginative and best fantasies of all time. I know that is saying a lot, but with all those films I mentioned at the start of this review, its in the lines of fantasy greatness with the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings films. If wish you see this masterpiece, be sure to not let your kids see it because this movie is a much darker and twisted fantasy than you have ever seen.
  • mumby1988
    March 18, 2012
    mumby1988
    The first time I saw Pan's Labyrinth, I declared that it was on a par with The Lord of the Rings as one of the great works of fantasy filmmaking, not only of the decade but of all time. I wrote these words in expectation of Guillermo del Toro helming The Hobbit, which sadly did n... read moreot come to pass, and subsequently compared the film to Let The Right One In as a demonstration of the worth and power present in seemingly familiar territory.

    Having let the dust settle, and in anticipation of Peter Jackson's return to Tolkien, the time feels right to re-examine Pan's Labyrinth in a different context. And if anything, del Toro's masterpiece is even more astounding, astonishing and heart-breaking second time round. It is the pinnacle of del Toro's career to date, the culmination of all the greatness he showcased in Cronos and The Devil's Backbone, and proof that he is, to paraphrase Mark Kermode, the Orson Welles of fantasy filmmaking.

    As well as being a sister film to The Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth draws on a number of influences from del Toro's formative years as a filmmaker. Its extraordinary special effects, a mixture of CGI, make-up and animatronics, recall his childhood love of John Carpenter's The Thing, while its strong-willed and inquisitive female protagonist hints at his appreciation of Lewis Carroll. It is also part of a rich vein in fantasy and horror filmmaking which explores past or alternative identities bubbling to the service, something David Lynch approached in Mulholland Drive and David Cronenberg depicted in The Fly and A History of Violence.

    The comparison with Alice in Wonderland helps to illuminate the huge strength of Pan's Labyrinth, which lifts it far above the more standardised, condescending fantasy that Hollywood often produces. Terry Gilliam, whose works also blend fantasy and reality, has long argued that through the eyes of a child, fairies and demons seem just as real as anything we adults take for granted. While Gilliam faltered in his own approach to Alice (Tideland is at best an admirable failure), Pan's Labyrinth genuinely makes you see the world through the eyes of a child. It doesn't do this by referencing childlike imagery in a knowing, adult way: it does it by treating the child's viewpoint as the most reliable, if not the only reliable view on offer in a world which everyone is struggling to understand.

    Within the first ten minutes of the film, Ofelia has been established as the only possible point of focus. The brief backstory surrounding Princess Moanna gives no suggestion that she and Ofelia bear any resemblance. After this we are thrust straight into the back-end of the Spanish Civil War, shown a world of brutality and ruthlessness contrasted by our early sightings of the fairies in the woods. Because Ofelia is the only other person who recognises seeing the fairies, and makes no effort to deny it to herself or her mother, we naturally gravitate towards her, taking her view as ours - something that never falters in the whole of the next two hours.

    The world of Pan's Labyrinth is visually extraordinary, with del Toro and long-time cinematographer Guillermo Navarro working in perfect harmony to create a unique cinematic experience. The colour palette is awash with ethereal blue light and faded pastel and watercolour tones; the lavender purple of the soldiers' uniforms looks like colourised black-and-white footage. The make-up and creatures all have an unnervingly grotesque quality, whether it's the giant toad, the Faun, or the mouth of Sergi Lopez after it has been sliced open with a razor.

    Pan's Labyrinth is a film which recognises and celebrates the darkness of fairy tales, emphasising that they are not, as Ofelia's mother believes, childish stories that one eventually grows out of. There are numerous moments in the film which are really scary or deeply uncomfortable, and none more so than Ofelia's encounter with the Pale Man. This terrifying creature with sagging skin, sharp teeth and eyes in the palms of its hands, is as creepy as the witches of Brothers Grimm and as brooding and sinister as Bluebeard. The film earns its 15 certificate for his scene alone, not so much for its graphic content but from the sheer terror generated from both the design and the brilliant performance of Doug Jones.

    Like all the best fairy tales, Pan's Labyrinth has a deep moral backbone buried under its layers of magic and mystery. Del Toro described the film as being about "a princess who forgot who she was", with the lead character needing not only self-belief but self-sacrifice to achieve her goal. Ofelia begins to refer to herself as 'Princess Moanna' very soon after her encounter with the Faun, but she finds herself torn between her need to complete the tasks and the love she shows for her mother and unborn brother. Her capacity for compassion towards the human world is seen by the Faun as a weakness, but ultimately it is this which proves her worth and allows her to re-join her father in the underworld.

    Del Toro contrasts the dark worlds of Ofelia's monsters and war-torn Spain to make a number of points about fantasy and human nature. Fairy tales, and by extension horror movies, have often been held up by their respective fans as mechanisms to cope with the horrors of the real world: by being exposing to darkness at a young age, within a carefully controlled environment, people are better equipped to deal with real evil whenever and wherever it emerges. Del Toro clearly agrees with this: the longer Ofelia spends carrying out the Faun's tasks, the less intimidated she becomes by Captain Vidal.

    Pan's Labyrinth is structured in such a way as to draw parallels between the monsters in both worlds. This is not as direct or blatant as Peter Pan, where traditionally the same actor plays Mr. Darling and Captain Hook, to make a point about children fearing their parents. The point del Toro is making follows on from the observation about the cathartic effect of fantasy and horror stories. On the one hand, the creatures in Ofelia's 'fairy tales' are not simple, frothy and easy to dismiss: even those who are on her side are genuinely threatening. On the other hand, the real world contains characters every bit as monstrous and sadistic as the Pale Man. They differ in their methods, but share the goal of crushing the human spirit and imagination, whether through physical torture or psychological humiliation.

    The film is a masterpiece of directorial skill which finds del Toro at the top of his game. His choice of shots and camera angles is masterful, maintaining intimacy with the characters even during the moments of great splendour or breathtaking human tragedy. Individual shots, like the blood trickling down Ofelia's fingers or the screaming mandrake root, are shot in intense close-up to emphasis the pathos of the situation. Equally impressive is the seamless editing, which allows fantasy and reality to blend without effort. In one memorable shot, we move from the toad's kingdom in the base of a tree to the soldiers in the forest through a simple pan of the camera.

    Pan's Labyrinth is also a deeply political film. Set at the end of the Spanish Civil War, it shows how fragile and vulnerable fascist rule is in reality. The wellbeing of the base depends greatly on the personal strength and charisma of Vidal: when he begins to be undermined or express doubts, the whole system quickly collapses. As with Ofelia's storyline, it is a case of imagination and ideals triumphing over the cynical, the ruthless and the cold-hearted. The ingenuity of the rebels in the woods seems no match for military might, but it is this ingenuity, self-belief and self-sacrifice which ultimately eliminate Vidal.

    Pan's Labyrinth is a peerless masterpiece among fantasy films, rivalling The Lord of the Rings for the title of greatest fantasy film of our time, if not all time. Del Toro's superb direction and incomparable storytelling are reinforced by amazing performances from Ivana Baquero as Ofelia and Sergi Lopez, following on from his villainous turn in Dirty Pretty Things. Its horrific beauty and overflowing imagination makes for two hours of mesmerising cinema, culminating in a final scene which is both heartbreaking and triumphant. It is one of the great films of the decade, and the jewel in del Toro's golden crown.
  • aquateen2
    February 25, 2012
    aquateen2
    Pan's Labyrinth is imaginative and spellbinding to the extreme. I've rarely seen any films like this with wonderful emotional depth. Guillermo Del Toro does more than help us manage crossing the language barrier but pulls us into a different world that helps us ignore it and fall... read more to our feet with emotion as we express tender care for the little girl and even see the world's from her eyes. I cannot stress how exhilarating and stunning this magic motion picture is. Del Toro creates one of the darkest atmosphere's in the history of film and shapes innocence into it too, despite the fact we are watching an independent main character who is a great role model for children as well as adults. All this and more of its timeless majesty and ultimate entertainment experience help me conclude that Pan's Labyrinth is one of the best Fantasy films ever made.
  • garyX
    December 7, 2011
    garyX
    A little girl and her pregnant mother are relocated to an army camp to be with the unborn baby's father, an officious and sadistic captain in Franco's fascist military. Pan's Labyrinth is a gothic fantasy that sees a young girl escape into a world of fauns, fairys and political a... read morellegory to escape her cold, cruel, clockwatching, jack-booted step-father who is a kindred spirit of Schindler's List's Goethe. Once again Del Toro blends beautiful imagery with an affecting war story and the result is an enchanting experience that mirrors the fight between good and evil in both the real world and a young child's imagination. Young Ivana Baquero puts in a performance that belies her tender years and the stunning visuals create a fantasy world that is beautiful yet conveys a suitably dark and disturbing undercurrent in Guillermo Del Toro's inimitable style. The two stories didn't quite gel together for me, feeling more like two separate stories told in parallel and so I must admit I prefer The Devil's backbone, but fans of Tim Burton and Jeunet will adore it.
  • fb619846742
    November 25, 2011
    fb619846742
    A wonderful, imaginative movie that deserves to be seen. Absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking, and memorable tale of a broken family caught in the middle of war time, and the imaginative underworld that a young girl invents to help block out the horror going on around her. By far ... read moredel Toro's best work, and a film that will not leave one quickly.

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Critic Reviews

David Germain
November 26, 2012
David Germain, Associated Press

Guillermo del Toro has crafted a masterpiece, a terrifying, visually wondrous fairy tale for adults that blends fantasy and gloomy drama into one of the most magical films to come along in years. Full Review

Mary Corliss
November 26, 2012
Mary Corliss, TIME Magazine

This is a fantasy realm so fully and elegantly realized, it might be the adaptation of a classic novel. Yet the source is Del Toro's own capacious imagination. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
August 4, 2007
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

Pan's Labyrinth suggests that fairy-tale violence helps the vulnerable process and overcome real-life conflicts and that real-life violence permanently smashes the soul and the heart. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
February 3, 2007
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

So breathtaking in its artistic ambition, so technically accomplished, so morally expansive, so fully realized that it defies the usual critical blather. See it, and celebrate that rare occasion when ... Full Review

David Fear
February 3, 2007
David Fear, Time Out New York

Del Toro specializes in taking horror and superhero films to bold, baroque places, yet Pan's Labyrinth is a step above his usual forays into the fantastic. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 19, 2007
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

A violent fantasy set during the Spanish Civil War, this magical film from Guillermo del Toro manages that intellectual high-mindedness, even as it resonates on a primal, mythic level. Full Review

Tom Long
January 19, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News

It explores the connection between fantasy and reality, with eyes wide open to the dangers of giving either too much credence. That it works on both levels is impressive; that it makes them so clearly... Full Review

Terry Lawson
January 19, 2007
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

It is an adult fairy tale that will lead grown-ups to eagerly await the day that their own children will be old enough to understand. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
January 19, 2007
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

This backdrop of intrigue creates violent scenes that may have you turning away from the screen. Beautifully designed and full of its own strange poetry, Pan's Labyrinth is nonetheless not a children'...

Lisa Kennedy
January 19, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Ofelia, you break our hearts. But you also restore our confidence in human decency. Full Review

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    • Vidal: You could have obeyed me!
    • Doctor: But Captain, to obey, just like that, for obedience's sake... without questioning... That's something only people like you do.
    • Ofelia: Many, many years ago in a sad, faraway land, there was an enormous mountain made of rough, black stone. At sunset, on top of that mountain, a magic rose blossomed every night that made whoever plucked it immortal. But no one dared go near it because its thorns were full of poison. Men talked amongst themselves about their fear of death, and pain, but never about the promise of eternal life. And every day, the rose wilted, unable to bequeath its gift to anyone... forgotten and lost at the top of that cold, dark mountain, forever alone, until the end of time.
    • Carmen: You're getting older, and you'll see that life isn't like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you'll learn that, even if it hurts.
    • Pan / Pale Man: And it is said that the Princess returned to her father's kingdom. That she reigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people. And that she left behind small traces of her time on Earth, visible only to those who know where to look.
    • Ofelia: [to the giant toad] Hello, I am Princess Moanna, and I am not afraid of you.
    • Pan / Pale Man: A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning...
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