El laberinto del fauno (2006)

	Directed by: Guillermo del Toro	INTERNATIONAL TITLE Pan's Labyrinth COUNTRY Mexico/Spain/USA GENRE Fantasy/Adventure/ Horror/Action NORWEGIAN TITLE Pans labyrint RUNNING TIME 119 minutes
	Produced by: Álvaro Augustín Alfonso Cuarón Bertha Navarro Guillermo del Toro Frida Torresblanco
	Written by: Guillermo del Toro

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Ofelia	Ivana Baquero
Capitán Vidal	Sergi López
Mercedes	Maribel Verdú
Fauno	Doug Jones
Carmen	Arjadna Gil
Dr. Ferreiro	Álex Angulo
Rey	Federico Luppi

Review

With an auteuristic approach and a daring, fresh blending of genres, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro combines formulaic fantasy with a historical account of the state of affairs in the wake of the Spanish Civil War, which he spices up with some shockingly violent and explicit images. El laberinto del fauno, which is del Toro's thematic follow-up to the more focused El espinazo del diablo, is a technical wonder, both when it comes to cinematography, art design and make-up, but thematically it ranges from trite to cluttered, with only occasionally interesting observations. The performances drive the film forward (especially those by a callous Sergi López and the young Ivana Baquero), but what del Toro really wants to convey remains unclear. Narratively, El laberinto del fauno is too conventional, and the relentless pessimism that runs through it makes it a strenuous and unpleasant experience. The film boasts some originality, and the brutality will at least make an impression on your gut, if not exactly stimulate your brain.