The Pan's Labyrinth Scene That Aged Poorly
Known for his striking visuals and appreciation of monsters, director Guillermo del Toro has created some of the most breathtaking movies in fantasy and horror. Big budget films such as "Hellboy" and "Blade II" have helped put his name out there, but it is his early independent work that is the most critically acclaimed. His most celebrated movie is arguably "Pan's Labyrinth," which premiered in 2006 to a flurry of Oscar nominations (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The film is a fairytale allegory, following a young girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero). At the height of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, Ofelia travels with her pregnant mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) to meet her cruel new stepfather, Capitan Vidal (Sergi López). Convinced that she is a reincarnated princess, Ofelia goes on an odyssey to complete three tasks that will unite her with her true father, who is the king of the underworld. As she ventures into the fantasy world, the real horrors of the war continue on outside, led by Vidal.
"Pan's Labyrinth" uses practical effects to an impressive degree, all while telling a heartfelt story that resonates to this day. While the film weaves horror and fantasy together seamlessly, this also means that the movie is not suitable for children. In fact, even for adults, there is one scene that makes fans cringe.
Vidal's treatment of the rebels is too graphic
The mix of horror and fantasy in "Pan's Labyrinth" is stark, especially taking into consideration the age of the protagonist. Ofelia is a young girl who is subjected to the brutality of the Spanish Civil War, and Vidal is the clear antagonist, a sadist who believes in the fascist regime of Spain. Vidal shows his true colors in the most graphic scene of the film, smashing in a rebel's face with a bottle. For some fans on Reddit, this scene is too graphic for the fantasy film.
When one Redditor mentioned the scene with the bottle in the r/Movies subreddit, many other users chimed in on how disturbing the scene is. "That scene, I thought the movie was a nice Disney flick until then. I was quite shocked," posted u/PTCruisin, and many others agreed. "Myself and the girlfriend curled up one night and watched 'Pan's Labyrinth' a few years ago," commented u/Irishane. "Everything was going well until that scene. It was game-over for her."
While the fantasy elements may lead some to believe that "Pan's Labyrinth" is a movie appropriate for families, this violent scene, along with other moments in the film, proves otherwise. U/Zombified_Layo echoed others' thoughts about initially believing that it was a children's film until this scene, saying, "That took me by surprise. I really thought this movie was basically a kid's movie." Though many also note that the film is beautiful, the violence incorporated into the scene is shocking. While Ofelia has a happy ending, it is hard to forget the gore of this specific moment.