Pan’s Labyrinth

I’m a big fan of fantasy, so I couldn’t help but be intrigued when I saw the trailer for Pan’s Labyrinth. Satyrs and faeries and weird-looking monsters with eyes in their hands? Sounds great! I’m in. Unfortunately, the movie trailers and even the box itself make one glaring omission that would almost certainly turn most people off to the movie, namely the fact that it’s in Spanish.

Now, I’m not generally one to mind reading subtitles; I do it all the time when I watch anime videos online. The fact that this wasn’t mentioned, however, is unforgivable. It’s like selling someone a car and only mentioning that it’s a standard transmission as they’re pulling out of the parking lot.

Despite this misrepresentation, Pan’s Labyrinth was fantastic. It had a great storyline and lots of interesting characters. After we got over our initial subtitle shock, my wife and I were pleased that we had given it a chance. In the end, it delivered everything that the misleading trailers promised.

Keep in mind, however, that Pan’s Labyrinth is not for children. Did you happen to notice that “R” rating on the side of the box? Trust me, it’s there for a good reason. This movie is a darker kind of fantasy, with lots of disturbing content and vivid depictions of violence. So, unless you want your kids to have nightmares, be sure to put them to bed before you watch it.