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Created Dec 18, 2007 04:00AM PST • Edited Dec 18, 2007 04:00AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Perfect 5.0

   Find it nigh impossible to find a fault with this sensational film. it looks, sounds and feels fantastically surreal. from start to finish its the most unique, engaging, heartbreaking and thrilling film you will see. Subtitled because its a spanish film set in 1944 but if you are not dead set against the idea of having to ‘read’ and watch simultaneously you’ll love this. even if you are dead set against subtitled films, take a chance on this one, you wont be disappointed. The plot is best discovered for yourself but essentially you have two separate but intertwined stories. One ;surrounding a small facist army unit based in the hills of spain in 1944 trying to ruthlessly round up a determined group of freedom fighters camping in the nearby woodlands. And two ; A little girl’s(Ofelia) journey into a fantasy world full of adventure, danger and destiny. One is truly harrowing and hard hitting war based drama and the other is a magical and inspirational story that will make every person watching think back to the times the believed in something more then the world was prepared to offer them. Beyond that i leave the discovery to yourself because this is truly one of the most uniquely brilliant films ever made so dont get to hung up on the subtitles and enjoy.

4. Acting

   Perfect 5.0

   First class across the board. the performance of all is excellent but the most prominent male and female performances ideally illustrate the movie’s captivating charm. ‘The Captain’ is the ruthless, methodical and sometimes psychopathic leader of the facist unit based in the remote outpost. His portrayal is excellent and indicitive of the callous and sometimes hopeless nature of the war story side of the film. On the other hand the character of Ofelia is played with such child-like innocence and adventure that it is the perfect foil for the maniacal Captain. Ofelia essentially links both stories together in her struggle to care for her pregnant mother and deal with the loss of her Father(and the idea that The Captain is now deemed his replacement). While simultaneously undertaking a dangerous and fantastic quest to save a forgotten world that exists beneath our own. Either character on their own would struggle to maintain an audiences attention or affection for the duration of a film. The juxtaposition of both actors sterling performances are the main contributory factor behind this films amazing appeal.

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

6. Female Stars Perfect 5.0

7. Female Costars Perfect 5.0

8. Male Costars Perfect 5.0

10. Film

    Perfect 5.0

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

12. Play Perfect 5.0

13. Music Perfect 5.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.0

    no sex or rudeness but incredibly violent at times as The Captain illustrates his ruthlessness when interrogating captured rebel prisoners/informants. Gory at times but necessary to counter-balance the fantasy side of the film

17. Sex Innocent 1.0

18. Violence Savage 4.1

19. Rudeness Polite 1.0

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.3

    Impossible to define. On one hand its an excellently realised war movie centering on a remote spanish outpost where the facist regime chase down a small band of guerilla’s. On the other hand its a fantasy movie that could have come from the mind of anyone from C.S. Lewis to J.R.R. Tolkien. Watch for yourself and enjoy!

22. Circumstantial Surreal 3.0

23. Biological Surreal 3.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0