This movie is Guillermo Del Torro’s masterpiece. It’s thoughtful and creepy, fantastical and dark in a sum total that manages to be exhilarating, terrifying, and deeply moving. It’s a fairy tale for adults, executed in a beautiful orchestra of set design, music, and a tour-de-force of performances from everyone involved. The story is complex and intricate, leaving the audience with plenty to discuss afterward.

Content warnings: Several brief sudden outbursts of brutal violence

Closest comparison: It’s like Burnt By The Sun (1994) by way of Legend (1985), but far surpassing them both.

Setting: War
Plot: Fantasy
Tone: Horror