Is Guillermo Del Toro's Best Film Also His Most Realistic?

gamerant.com:

Guillermo Del Toro is quite possibly one of the most acclaimed directors in the history of fantasy cinema. From the paranormal superhero flick Hellboy, to the giant robot thrill ride Pacific Rim, to the Oscar-winning fishman romance The Shape of Water, Del Toro is a master of weaving larger-than-life stories that capture the imaginations of moviegoers everywhere.

However, there’s a case to be made that Del Toro’s greatest masterpiece doesn’t actually feature any real fantasy elements at all. The film in question is 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth — and for those unfamiliar with the movie, that claim may seem ludicrous. After all, Pan’s Labyrinth is best known for its darkly fantastical characters like the enigmatic Faun and the sinister Pale Man. But upon closer examination, the movie may be much more grounded than it first appears.

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The plot of Pan’s Labyrinth is a simple one, at least on the surface. In 1944, during the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a young girl named Ofelia is taken by her pregnant and ailing mother to live with her new stepfather, a strict and ruthless military man named Captain Vidal. As she struggles to adjust to her unpleasant new surroundings, Ofelia discovers an old abandoned labyrinth near Vidal’s estate, where she encounters a mysterious and ancient Faun. The Faun tells Ofelia that she is the reincarnation of Moanna, princess of the underworld, and that she must complete three trials in order to return to her true home. Ofelia is wary of the Faun, but she accepts his offer, hoping to trade her bleak and dreary life for a world of magic and wonder.

Pan’s Labyrinth clearly harkens back to past stories about children