Guillermo del Toro proves himself a true magician with Pan’s Labyrinth. In it, an 11-year-old Spanish girl named Ofelia finds herself trapped in a universe of gloomy mazes, dangerous missions, and child-killing monsters. And not just in the fantasy she creates to escape the brutality of the war engulfing her homeland, or the cruel stepfather dominating her family. Del Toro seamlessly weaves the layered threads together without breaking credulity. As much as this is a showcase for bizarre creatures and dazzling effects, I doubt anyone feels antsy during scenes of adult politics and emotions. The two storylines are dependent on each other for either to move forward, and some of the cold-blooded human characters make the fearsome monsters seem like kittens. This is strictly an adult fairytale, and Del Toro doesn’t back down from depicting the horrors of war in any metaphor. At times I couldn’t believe the lengths things went to, where other films stop short of carrying out their threats. The images are beautiful and gruesome, and Ofelia’s acts of bravery and defiance brought some tears to the audience I watched with. Labyrinth is stunning and compelling, and gives viewers a thoughtful reexamination of the real world. The best kind of fable.

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