A Mistake

It is truly amazing that even after the second viewing I have apparently interpreted Pan's Labyrinth quite differently as the director did. Apparently, to Del Toro, the fantasies Ofelia experienced are real, although he said that it is possible to interpret it the other way (what he calls the Rocschach test). I admit I have interpreted the show with a logical mind, but apparently it is supposed to be an actual fairy tale, rather than a fairy tale existing in a real world - a slight difference there. Del Toro also mentioned that Ofelia is the only character in the film who refused to use violence or cause death (which even the doctor did), and in this she did not lose her immortality. (Yay, at least got this right.)

But how did the show still seem so consistent to me even when I took a radically opposite interpretation? Amazing. I think this makes the film more intriguing though. Even with an opposite interpretation, the idea of escapism still stands. Only difference now is Ofelia has truly escaped, rather than simply 'in her mind'. So if one had interpreted as Del Toro did, it was a happy ending. If one interpreted like I did, it was tragic. Doesn't matter. My guess is that you would have felt both emotions anyway: the escapist in you would be happy for Ofelia (whether or not you believe she escaped in reality), while the realist in you feel much sadness for her death. That's why I said it is still consistent at the end.