Pans Labyrint

A dark and beautiful fantasy set in Francoist Spain.

Ten-year-old Ofelia and her pregnant, ailing mother move in with her new stepfather, the cruel Vidal. Five years after the Civil War, Vidal, an officer in the armed police force, devotes himself to tracking down and crushing the last remnants of the resistance.

In the midst of these difficult times, Ofelia finds her way into a mysterious labyrinth. There she meets a magical creature, a faun, who tells her that she is the princess of the underworld. To reclaim her place on the throne, she must complete three tasks—a mission she takes on with both curiosity and courage.

Grim and beautiful

Even after a long and critically acclaimed career, Pans Labyrint remains an artistic highlight in Guillermo del Toro’s filmography, elevated by visuals that are as grim as they are beautiful. It is also a wonderful example of how supernatural elements need not conceal serious themes, but can instead amplify them.

And it is hard not to single out the film’s monsters, brought to life through a combination of practical and digital effects, as some of the very best ever seen on the big screen.