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Revenants (Tales of the Five Realms #2)

Rachel V. Knox

8.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

What would you do if the people you love were being changed by dark forces? When Hagar, Jude, and...

Fantasy Romance

Resurrection of an Empire (The Magic Within #2)

Sharon Gibbs

8.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

“LIFE IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND TIME CAN DISAPPEAR IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.” Christopher...

Young Adult Fantasy

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Pan's Labyrinth (2006) in Movies

Apr 26, 2018

Could Have Been Better

A little girl ventures into a fantasy world to complete three dangerous tasks after which she will be able to return to her underground kingdom. I had high hopes for Pan's Labyrinth and unfortunately there were a few factors that let me down. A few tweaks would have helped the film ascend to greatness.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 7
Not the best start I've seen in a film, but certainly not the worst. It gives you just enough to hook you and anticipate what is to follow.

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 8

Conflict: 5

Genre: 3

Memorability: 8
The high score here is moreso indicative of director Guillermo del Toro trying something new and daring to be different. The creatures and the world in which they belong were unique enough to stand their own among other fantasy films I've seen. However, as the film shifts back and forth between fantasy and reality, I didn't get as much of the former as I would have hoped.

Pace: 4

Plot: 5
Again, I applaud an attempt to be innovative. What bothered me was how much was going on at once. It made it hard for me to enjoy the film as a whole. Things get pretty dark and depressing with no redemption in sight. I question some of the plot choices. Also, I was hoping that the fantasy world had a closer tie to the real world. Things fell apart for me when they did finally try and combine the two.

Resolution: 3

Overall: 63
A film with potential squandered by a mediocre ending and not going all in on the fantasy side. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I know a number of people that love it. I didn't.