Pan's Labyrinth

“Why would a poor little faun like me lie to you?”

Why do I watch these depressing ass movies man, shit was peak don’t get me wrong, but holy fuck, can I not pick something nice for once?😭

Pan’s Labyrinth is a masterpiece in both visual aspects and in that of how it depicts war, cause let me tell you, Vidal is one ruthless cold hearted bastard, the mf is a D1 hater of anything remotely happy, and yet he goes hand in hand with shit like fairies and extraterrestrial horror.

1st Act / First 45 9.5/10 (The first 30 not much happens other than just pure world building, and of course the frog monster, can’t forget bro, then the last 15 kick in and it’s absolute cinema.)

2nd Act / Second 45 11/10 (Genuinely one of the greatest 45 minutes of a film I think I’ve ever sat through, the pacing is relentless, the plot albeit really fucking weird, is made super enjoyable, and finally all characters are given the development they need, idk how the fuck Guillermo Del Toro managed to fit all that in, but he did.)

3rd Act Last 30 10/10 (Not a step down in the slightest, just less time to be peak, like omfg the whole time I was glued to my screen, you couldn’t distract me from the movie no matter what the fuck you were doing.)

Plot 10/10 (The whole idea can go south after 1 frame, and yet it’s a 2 hour movie, and it stays amazingly consistent throughout, this is what The Dark Crystal wishes it was.)

Soundtrack/Score N/A (There’s one song and it’s 3 minutes, and even then it’s a lullaby, I’m not rating it down cause of its lack of music, if anything, the fact there isn’t any should make it better.)

Acting 10/10 (Vidal, Ofelia, Mercedes, even fucking Faun all give masterclasses of a performance, Vidal is straight out of Schindler’s List, Ofelia belongs in Come And See, and the other two are just standalone amazing actors and actresses.)

Pacing 9.1/10 (First 30 give it a slow start, but the second it picks up, it doesn’t put you down, and when the movie ends and it’s has to put you down, it does so by throwing you against the nearest wall.)

Cinematography / Visual Effects 11/10 (You don’t know good visual effects or CGI till you’ve seen Pan’s labyrinth, also let’s not forget the Ferreiro scene.)

Character Development 9.7/10 (Fuck Vidal, Love Ofelia, and to top it off Mercedes is so complex and badass, all fulfil their needs as characters perfectly.)

Writing 11/10 (When Guillermo Del Toro was writing anything related to this movie, I refuse to believe his pen was not on fire as he was writing.)

Ending 11/10 (Open for interpretation in a both dark and light way, there’s no better way you can end a movie, bite me.)

Direction 9.7/10 (GUILLERMO PLEASE MAKE MORE SHIT LIKE THIS.)

Overall
112/110
10/10

A strange movie that linked the world of fantasy to politics, suitable music, a mixture of dreams and reality. 7,8/10

Really felt like dark version of Alice in wonderland— also I remember Spanish somewhat 😌

wow.

An opportunity that alters a perspective
The change in influence that comes from Pan’s Labyrinth

This reflection was originally much different than what it is now, I had spent an hour or so writing about the influence that pan’s labyrinth had upon my second viewing at the film’s 20th anniversary rerelease but now that film unfortunately did not save. So now, I will re-attempt to write out my reflectionary perspective.

My reflectionary perspective for my viewing on October 13,2026

Many individuals say that Imagination in this day and age can be inherently unobtainable when it comes to the integration of folklore and reality. My time being present for the 20th anniversary of the rerelease of “Pan’s labyrinth” has given me a perspective that can inherently be described as intriguably terrifying while undoubtedly magical. Del Toro’s courage when implementing the innocence of folklore with reality’s hardships of war in a third world country is applaudable. So much so that I find my mind tracing back to how it’s practiced with bringing such heartbreaking storytelling to life while keeping its magic and visual delight has become a rarity.

Pan’s labyrinth has become a staple for cinema not only for its influence that bridges Mexican auteur sensibilities with Spanish historical trauma but also how Filmmaking can be used not just as an escape but as a mirror to reality. Pan’s labyrinth altercation on how modern cinema approaches genre-blending, practical effects, and political storytelling is something to behold and treasured with every viewing that is performed. I hope that as the film goes beyond the 20 year threshold we can continue to appreciate the meaning that it beholds to its audience.

Absolutely amazing seeing this in theaters in 3D, Del toro is a gem