“Tigers Are Not Afraid” is at once heartbreaking, horrifying, and brilliant. The movie follows Estrella, a young girl caught in the middle of the Mexican drug war who, after being taught about fairy tales in school, is given three wishes. But on her return home, she finds her mother missing and must strike out on her own, meeting up with a group of boys whose families have also gone missing or been killed. As she uses her wishes, she finds that they each come with a catch. Now in possession of a gangster’s phone and being tracked by the gang’s leader, the group must run for their lives, all while Estrella continues to see fantastical images and encounters with the dead.

Comparing this film to “Pan’s Labyrinth” or even “The Monkey’s Paw” is not unfair, both in terms of how the story is told and the general theme, that of escaping into fantasy to distance oneself from the horrors of the world, and of being careful what you wish for. The imagery is not quite as fantastical as “Pan’s Labyrinth” and is actually more akin to that of a modern horror film than a fantasy epic.

The acting is decently done, especially for a movie that focuses primarily on the children. You can feel an enormous uncertainty expressed by these kids, which matches the feeling of children being cast out into the world on their own with no idea where to go or what to do. At the same time, watching what these kids go through is not easy.

This can be a difficult film with challenging themes and imagery. I know that there are some out there that may not be able to stomach some of the themes and events depicted, so be warned. But if you can, it’s a rewarding experience, which is a testament to the film and the talents of those involved. If the audience doesn’t FEEL a film like this, then it wouldn’t be worth your time. With the kind of emotion this film invokes, though, it’s definitely a must see, in my opinion.