In the running for film of the year is this fairy story by the director of Blade 2 Guillermo del Toro. Firstly if you think it's the kind of Fairy Tale to take the kids to, I'd seriously reconsider as its definitely not Cinderella and it has a 15 rating for a reason. The overall content isn't particular child friendly, particularly a scene where a guy gets his face smashed in with a bottle. There's also some decapitation of fairies and not a particularly happy ending.
The tale is the story of a young girl who, with her pregnant mother moves into the safety of a mountain retreat belonging to an evil Military Captain at war with the local resistance. There she comes across a labyrinth inhabited by a creepy looking faun who tells her that she's really a princess from a realm beneath the earth and she's set 3 tasks to prove that she's worthy of returning there.
Visually the film is stunning but isn't as magical as the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, relying more on a gritty vibe to reflect the war that is taken place elsewhere in the film. Setting it during the war also manages to give it a dimension that these films lack, its not just about the girl but the conflict that those around here are in.
However overall I found myself getting a little bored with it and it wasn't as good as the reviews had made it. It is one of the better films this year but it hasn't been a good year for great movies methinks.
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