When “Pan's Labyrinth” was released over 18 years ago, I was too young to watch it But a few years later, curiosity got the better of me and I finally decided to watch it It was a film that was not only hauntingly beautiful, but deeply unsettling, at least enough to get under my skin

Guillermo del Toro has truly created a masterpiece in the history of cinema The story follows a young girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who, while her mother remarries a cruel soldier in post-civil war Spain, discovers a mysterious labyrinth and meets a faun who reveals herself to be the reincarnation of a lost princess That premise alone may sound strange, but it is storytelling at its best, depicting oppression and fear

Pan's Labyrinth is available now on the best free streaming services Here's why you need to stream this dark fantasy film now And for more recommendations, check out this movie coming to Netflix, which scored 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

“Pan's Labyrinth” is a dark fantasy directed by Guillermo del Toro and set in post-civil war Spain The story follows Ofelia, a young girl who moves with her pregnant mother (Ariadna Gil) to a remote military outpost commanded by her cruel stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez) Amidst the harsh realities of war and Vidal's oppressive personality, Ofelia discovers an ancient labyrinth in the woods near her new home

In the labyrinth she meets the mysterious Fawn (Doug Jones), who reveals herself to be the reincarnation of a lost princess from a magical underworld To prove her identity and return to the royal realm, Ofelia must complete three challenges These challenges, while fantastical, are extremely dangerous because they reflect the dark, often violent world she is trying to escape

If you haven't experienced “Pan's Labyrinth” yet, now is the perfect time to stream it on Tubi (yes, totally free) Because while the film depicts the brutal reality of war with bloody violence and stifles emotion, it also immerses us in a fantastical land of hope Del Toro mixes these two different worlds to create a truly disturbing and incredibly beautiful story

“Pan's Labyrinth” can in fact be seen as a grim adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” and is considered by many to be del Toro's best work to date It is a violent yet charming fairy tale made for adults Critics seem to agree with this view, given its 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes

Peter Reiner of The Christian Science Monitor says: Pan's Labyrinth is like a cross between Alice in Wonderland and HP Lovecraft, with the addition of Buñuel It's both a tribute to and a prime example of the disturbing power of the imagination” Meanwhile, Empire Magazine's Kim Newman described the film perfectly: “Dark, twisted, and beautiful, it intertwines fairy-tale fantasy and war-movie horror to stunning effect

Don't like it? Watch the best war movies for free now You can also check out the top 10 heartwarming movies on Prime Video

Stream “Pan's Labyrinth” for free on Tubi now