Follow @screenit

"PAN'S LABYRNITH" (2006) (Ivana Baquero, Sergio Lopez) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild Extreme Extreme *Extreme Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Extreme None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence None Mild Heavy Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: To escape from her mean stepfather and the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a young girl escapes into a fantastical world where she must complete three tasks to prove whether she's its long-lost princess. PLOT: It's 1944 and young Ofelia (IVANA BAQUERO) has traveled with her pregnant mother Carmen (ARIADNA GIL) from the city to the countryside where they're to live with Carmen's new husband, Captain Vidal (SERGI LOPEZ). He's a stern military man assigned to round up, interrogate and kill roving bands of rebel guerillas, and his only interest in being a father concerns his unborn child that Carmen is carrying, not Ofelia. Accordingly, and after meeting housekeeper Mercedes (MARIBEL VERDU) and attending physician Dr. Ferreiro (ALEX ANGULO), Ofelia ends up escaping into a fantasy world whose entrance is in an adjacent abandoned garden. There, she meets the towering faun Pan (DOUG JONES) who believes her to be his land's long-lost princess. Accordingly, he gives her three tasks to prove whether she is, quests that challenge her smarts, ability to follow directions, and courage. As Vidal continues his campaign of thwarting the rebels, Ofelia must not only contend with the repercussions of that, but also the challenges the lie ahead of her in Pan's labyrinth. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might be interested, especially if they're a fan of the film's director. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For graphic violence and some language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: IVANA BAQUERO plays a young girl who escapes from her new and mean stepfather into a fantasy world where she must face and complete three tasks to prove whether she's the long-lost princess of Pan's world. She breaks some of both of their rules and must deal with the repercussions. SERGI LOPEZ plays her new stepfather, a stern and mean military man assigned to round up, interrogate, and dispose of the rebels, and who wants nothing to do with her. He uses strong profanity, tortures, and kills various people. MARIBEL VERDU plays his long-suffering housekeeper who's covertly assisting the rebels, one of which is her brother. Accordingly, she worries about what Vidal will do if he discovers her actions. She briefly uses strong profanity. ARIADNA GIL plays Ofelia's pregnant mother who's moved them from the city in hopes of a better life with her new husband, Capt. Vidal. DOUG JONES plays the faun who alternates between being helpful and menacing toward Ofelia, and assigns her the three tasks to prove whether she's his world's long-lost princess. ALEX ANGULO plays the attending physician who assists Mercedes in covertly helping the guerillas. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this fantastical drama that's been rated R. Subtitled profanity consists of at least 4 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Violence includes various people being shot to death in battle and other circumstances, scenes involving torture, and a monster killing two fairies by biting off their heads. Many of those scenes have bloody results, and all of that, various moments of peril, and all sorts of visuals (including that of creepy looking monsters) may be unsettling, suspenseful, or even scary to some viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while a heavy amount of tense family material is present (death of a parent, having a mean stepparent). Meanwhile, some smoking and drinking occurs. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Thinking a captured farmer and his adult son are guerillas, Vidal goes through their belongings, finding a bottle of wine. He then proceeds to smash the bottom of that bottle to the son's nose and face repeatedly, bloodying it. Vidal and others raise a toast with wine at dinner. A wounded man takes a swig of liquor before his injured leg is amputated (not seen). Vidal pours liquor for himself and Mercedes, but only he drinks his shot. Vidal has a drink, but some of the booze flows out through a stitched up, large slice in his cheek and soaks the bandage covering it. He then pours himself another shot, but stops before having it (when distracted), although he later drinks it (unaware that Ofelia has spiked it with an overdose of medicine). BLOOD/GORE We see a child with labored breathing and blood from their nose that then flows back in, as if in reverse, and there's some blood on their hand. Carmen appears ready to vomit during a car ride and due to her pregnancy, but doesn't. Thinking a captured farmer and his adult son are guerillas, Vidal goes through their belongings, finding a bottle of wine. He then proceeds to smash the bottom of that bottle to the son's nose and face repeatedly, bloodying it. He then shoots the father dead with his pistol (some blood spurts out) and then shoots the wounded son several times, killing him. We see some dead rabbits that were previously shot dead. A monstrous toad's stomach expands from its mouth until it's eventually out of the now withered body (along with green bodily fluids) that's nothing much but skin that then deflates to the ground. Ofelia hears sounds, rushes in, and finds her mother stumbling about with blood on her hand and a lot on her gown from her crotch (not seen). Ofelia finds a humanoid type monster sitting motionless at a table upon which sits a plate with two bloody eyeballs. That monster snatches two flying fairies from the air, and then bites off each of their heads (in a graphic way, with bloody and meaty results on them and blood down from the creature's mouth). We see a guerilla with a very bad looking leg wound, with Ferreiro indicating he must amputate it. The wounded man then takes a swig of liquor and we see Ferreiro place his saw on the leg and make the first cut, but nothing more. Pan tells Ofelia to place a tree root into a bowl of milk (she does, and it reacts like an infant, moving about, etc.) and then put two drops of blood onto it every day (putting it under her mother's bed to help with her troubled pregnancy). Ofelia then bites her fingertip and lets a few drops of blood drip down onto the root. We see small bloody holes as soldiers shoot into dead bodies, including as Vidal shoots and kills a wounded and bloody opponent. Vidal shows a captured, bloody, and bound opponent the tools (a hammer, pliers, some sort of shiv, etc.) he's going to use to torture him. He then swings the hammer and there's brief impact and the related sound, but the scene ends there. We then see Vidal washing the blood from his hands out in the rain, and then see the wounded man whose face is very bloody and hand has been partially torn open, with very bloody/gory results. We see blood on Carmen's legs and bed clothing, a paramedic who delivered her baby, and some on Mercedes. As Vidal prepares to torture Mercedes, she retrieves the kitchen knife from her apron, cuts the ropes binding her, and then stabs Vidal in the back. She then stabs and slices him repeatedly, followed by putting the knife into his mouth, slicing it and his cheek open. All of the above has bloody results, with the mouth wound being graphic. We later see him stitching that up himself (seen in graphic detail). After putting a bandage over that sewed-up cut, he drinks but the booze flows out through the slice and soaks the bandage. We then see several views of Vidal in his blood-soaked clothing. Men who've been shot are bloody, as is the ground around them. A child is shot and we see blood on her clothing, hand, and some dripping down into a stone stairwell. A man shoots another man in the face (we see a small, bloody bullet hole there). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE When Ofelia reaches out her left hand to shake hands with Vidal, he grabs and squeezes that hand, saying it's the wrong one. Vidal is mean to most everyone (including Ofelia), and ruthless when it comes to the rebels or those he thinks are such guerillas. Accordingly, he tortures and kills many of them. Vidal is demeaning to Mercedes. We see that Mercedes and Ferreiro are secretly working with the guerillas (possibly a bad attitude depending on one's viewpoint of who's good and who's bad). Vidal is condescending to Carmen, his new wife, after she answers a dinner guest's questions about how she and Vidal met (he dismisses her story as a silly one that no one wants to hear). A man refers to a person with a stuttering problem as a "stuttering idiot." Vidal tells Ferreiro that if he has to choose between Carmen and the baby, he should pick the latter. Vidal tells a captured and wounded opponent that if he (the opponent) can count to three without stuttering, he can go free. The man tries, but can't do it. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and/or "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling, suspenseful, or scary to some viewers, especially younger ones and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We see a child with labored breathing and blood from their nose that then flows back in, as if in reverse, and there's some blood on their hand. We see a human skull on the ground. For those afraid of large insects, various scenes feature them (including large beetles crawling on Ofelia as she crawls through a muddy cave of sorts). Ofelia is frightened by the house's loud creaking and settling sounds at night. A flying insect enters and zips around Ofelia's room at night, initially frightening her (it crawls up her bedcovers) until she recognizes it as the same fairy-type creature from before. Ofelia follows a flying insect into the labyrinth, down a circular stone stairwell and into a room where she encounters the faun-like Pan (a creature that might be scary to some younger viewers, what with its devil-like horns, bent-backwards legs, the creaking sounds it makes when moving, its guttural sounds, etc.). To complete one of Pan's tasks, Ofelia crawls inside the open trunk of an old tree, into a muddy, cave-like area where large beetles crawl all over the place, including her. She then encounters a monstrous toad (that's bigger than she is) that flicks out its huge tongue to swipe a beetle off her face (followed by a loud and windy moment of belching in her direction). She then feeds it three magic rocks that cause the toad's stomach to expand from its mouth until it's eventually out of the now withered body (along with green bodily fluids) that's nothing much but skin that then deflates to the ground. Ofelia hears sounds, rushes in, and finds her mother stumbling about with blood on her hand and a lot on her gown from her crotch (not seen). As Mercedes extracts things from a secret hiding place in the floor, we see a figure behind her (and think it's Vidal), but it's just Ferreiro. Pan tells Ofelia that her second task is dangerous, as it involves something that's not human, as well as a feast from which she must not eat or drink, as her life depends on that. Ofelia then uses a piece of chalk to make a door that opens into a creepy hallway, sets an hourglass for her time out, and then slowly goes in. She then finds a room with a feast as well as a pale, humanoid type monster (with loose skin hanging off it and sharp, black claws) sitting motionless at the table (upon which sits a plate with two bloody eyeballs). We see a painting showing a similar type creature impaling a child, as well as a large pile of what looks like children's shoes on the floor. Ofelia then breaks Pan's rules, eating two grapes from the feast, unaware that has now awakened the creature behind her. With her back turned, she doesn't see it come to life, pick up the eyes, place them in its two palms, and then hold its hands up to its head so that it can see and pursue her. It then snatches two flying fairies from the air, and then bites off each of their heads (in a graphic way, with bloody and meaty results). Having seen that, Ofelia tries to run back to her magic door, but the hourglass has run out and the door closes. She then frantically tries to draw a new opening with the chalk as the monster slowly lumbers toward her as she stands on a chair and draws a rectangle in the ceiling above her. She then pops that open and pulls herself up through it, just as the monster reaches out for her legs and feet as she pulls them up. She then closes the opening as the monster pounds and/or pushes against it from below, but eventually stops. We see a guerilla with a very bad looking leg wound, with Ferreiro indicating he must amputate it. The wounded man then takes a swig of liquor and we see Ferreiro place his saw on the leg and make the first cut, but nothing more. Vidal slices a straight razor across the mirror image of his own throat. Pan tells Ofelia to place a tree root into a bowl of milk (she does, and it reacts like an infant, moving about, etc.) and then put two drops of blood onto it every day (putting it under her mother's bed to help with her troubled pregnancy). Ofelia then bites her own fingertip and lets a few drops of blood drip down onto the root. In a later scene, Vidal finds that root and tosses it into the fire where it writhes and squeals in pain, thus breaking the good spell on Carmen (and her painful pregnancy returns). A gun battle breaks out between Vidal and his men and the guerillas, with various people being hit on both sides of the battle. One of Vidal's men shoots twice into a dead body (presumably to make sure they're dead), while Vidal aims his handgun at a wounded and bloody opponent. That man keep pushing the gun aside as Vidal points it as his face, prompting Vidal to shoot through the man's hand into his head, followed by two more shots. Vidal shows a captured, bloody, and bound opponent the tools (a hammer, pliers, some sort of shiv, etc.) he's going to use to torture him. He then swings the hammer and there's brief impact and the related sound, but the scene ends there. We then see Vidal washing the blood from his hands out in the rain, and then see the wounded man whose face is very bloody and hand has been partially torn open, with very bloody/gory results. We see a needle being inserted into some skin. After Vidal thinks he's figured out what's going on, he goes into his wife's room and pulls Ofelia out from beneath the bed by her feet. Mercedes and Ofelia try to flee from the house, but are captured and returned to Vidal. He then slaps Ofelia repeatedly, and we then see that Mercedes is tied up in preparation of torture. As Vidal prepares to torture Mercedes, she retrieves a kitchen knife she hid in her apron, cuts the ropes binding her, and then stabs Vidal in the back. She then stabs and slices him repeatedly, followed by putting the knife into his mouth, slicing it and his cheek open. All of the above has bloody results, with the mouth wound being graphic. We later see him stitching that up himself (seen in graphic detail). After putting a bandage over that sewed-up cut, he drinks but the booze flows out through the slice and soaks the bandage. We then see several views of Vidal in his blood-soaked clothing. After having wounded Vidal, Mercedes tries to flee, but is chased by his men on horseback. After they surround her, Mercedes threatens to cut her own throat, but gunshots fired by guerillas suddenly ring out, striking most of Vidal's men, killing many and wounding a few. We worry about Ofelia as she hides in Vidal's office as he starts looking for the source of noise there (and has his gun drawn). Vidal starts to come after Ofelia in the house (as she carries her infant brother), but he stumbles about from the overdose of medicine she put into his drink. Just then, various explosions go off around the house (from attacking guerillas), and Vidal stumbles out into a battle between them and his forces, but continues after Ofelia who's headed into the labyrinth. Ofelia then encounters Pan who carries a large dagger and states he needs blood from an innocent, but Ofelia won't let him do that to her brother. Spoiler alert: Vidal shoots Ofelia in the labyrinth (we don't see the impact, but do see blood on her clothing, hand, and some dripping down into a stone stairwell). It's implied that she dies in real life (but lives on in a fantasy world). A man shoots another man in the face (we see a small, bloody bullet hole there). GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Rifles/Knives/Explosives: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound, or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "It's f*cked up," "M*therf*cker," "What the f*ck did you say?" "Bastards," "Stuttering idiot," "You're screwed," "What the hell /are you talking about/is this?" "Go to hell," "You imbecile" and "Little bitch" (in English subtitles). Ofelia spikes Vidal's drink with an overdose of medicine. He drinks it and then starts to stumble about. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 4 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 2 "s" words, 5 damns, 4 S.O.B.s, 3 hells, 2 asses (both used with "hole") and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "Jesus" and "My God" (in English subtitles). SEX/NUDITY None. SMOKING Vidal smokes a number of times. Seeing new supplies in a stockroom, Vidal smells a box of tobacco and comments on its freshness. We see that Mercedes has brought tobacco (among other things) to the guerillas. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Carmen tells Ofelia to call Vidal her dad, saying it's just a word. We later hear that Ofelia's father, a tailor, died in the war, and that Carmen married Vidal since she was lonely. A father sees Vidal kill his adult son moments before he dies as well. Vidal isn't remotely nice to Ofelia. Vidal is condescending to Carmen, his new wife, after she answers a dinner guest's questions about how she and Vidal met (he dismisses her story as a silly one that no one wants to hear). Carmen is upset with Ofelia for getting the dinner dress she made her muddy. Ofelia hears sounds, rushes in, and finds her mother stumbling about with blood on her hand and a lot on her gown from her crotch (not seen). Ofelia fears for her mother's life (regarding her troubled pregnancy). Spoiler alert: Ofelia learns that her mother died in childbirth (but that her baby brother lived). We then see the funeral scene. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The Spanish Civil War. Living with stepparents. Children who escape from bad situations by entering fantasy worlds. A man refers to a person with a stuttering problem as a "stuttering idiot." There's talk of "reds" (communists) in relation to the Spanish conflict. VIOLENCE Thinking a captured farmer and his adult son are guerillas, Vidal goes through their belongings, finding a bottle of wine. He then proceeds to smash the bottom of that bottle to the son's nose and face repeatedly, bloodying it. He then shoots the father dead with his pistol (some blood spurts out) and then shoots the wounded son several times, killing him. A humanoid type monster snatches two flying fairies from the air, and then bites off each of their heads (in a graphic way, with bloody and meaty results on them and blood down from the creature's mouth). We hear distant explosions and then see the top of a fireball over the tree line. We later see the train wreckage from that violent act. We see various explosions, including one that blows a car aside. That's followed by gunfire, with some people being hit (but there's no blood). A gun battle breaks out between Vidal and his men and the guerillas, with various people being hit on both sides of the battle. One of Vidal's men shoots twice into a dead body (presumably to make sure they're dead), while Vidal aims his handgun at a wounded and bloody opponent. That man keep pushing the gun aside as Vidal points it as his face, prompting Vidal to shoot through the man's hand into his head, followed by two more shots. Vidal shows a captured, bloody, and bound opponent the tools (a hammer, pliers, some sort of shiv, etc.) he's going to use to torture him. He then swings the hammer and there's brief impact and the related sound, but the scene ends there. We then see Vidal washing the blood from his hands out in the rain, and then see the wounded man whose face is very bloody and hand has been partially torn open, with very bloody/gory results. Vidal shoots a traitor in the back in the rain, killing him (seen from the man's front, so we don't see the impact or any blood). Mercedes and Ofelia try to flee from the house, but are captured and returned to Vidal. He then slaps Ofelia repeatedly, and we then see that Mercedes is tied up in preparation of torture. As Vidal prepares to torture Mercedes, she retrieves a kitchen knife she hid in her apron, cuts the ropes binding her, and then stabs Vidal in the back. She then stabs and slices him repeatedly, followed by putting the knife into his mouth, slicing it and his cheek open. All of the above has bloody results, with the mouth wound being graphic. After having wounded Vidal, Mercedes tries to flee, but is chased by his men on horseback. After they surround her, Mercedes threatens to cut her own throat, but gunshots fired by guerillas suddenly ring out, striking most of Vidal's men, killing many and wounding a few. Various explosions go off around the house (from attacking guerillas), and Vidal stumbles out into a battle between them and his forces, but continues after Ofelia who's headed into the labyrinth. Spoiler alert: Vidal shoots Ofelia in the labyrinth (we don't see the impact, but do see blood on her clothing, hand, and some dripping down into a stone stairwell). It's implied that she dies in real life (but lives on in a fantasy world). A man shoots another man in the face (we see a small, bloody bullet hole there). Reviewed November 2, 2006 / Posted January 19, 2007

Other new and recent reviews include:

Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

All Rights Reserved,
©1996-2016 Screen It, Inc.