El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) ***1/2
Cast: Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, Alex Angulo
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Running Length: 1:52
MPAA Classification: R

In the civil war Spain of the 1940’s, Ofelia (Baquero) has lost her father, a casualty of the war. Her mother (Gil) has been forced to marry Captain Vidal (Lopez), an evil man who fights the rebels around his home with a singleminded viciousness. Her mom is pregnant, and the pregnancy is killing her. On the grounds of Vidal’s estate is a labyrinth, and upon entering it, Ofelia meets many creatures including fairies and fauns. She learns that she is the long-lost princess and daughter of the King of the Underworld. To show herself worthy of this title, the faun Pan (Jones) lays out three tasks for her to perform. Completion before the next full moon will mean she can enter the kingdom and escape the war torn world around her.

“Pan’s Labyrinth” is a movie like no other. Director Guillermo del Toro has crafted a modern fairy tale. The two stories entertwine perfectly and complement each other. The special effects are hi quality, and the direction is excellent. Young Adriana Gil is excellent as poor Ofelia, a girl fleeing the horrors of the world around her. “Pan’s Labyrinth” is an excellent movie that is just different enough to make it fresh. I highly recommend this adult fairy tale. NOTE: This is a foreign film with subtitles.