Historical and Political- The story takes place in Spain in the year 1944 during the early Francoist period five years after the Spanish Civil War. The film showcases a group of rebels fighting against an outpost of the fascist government. Ofelia is brought into the middle of the war zone in which she experiences the hardships it follows. An escape for her is the mystical elements she encounters throughout.

Social- Since the film takes place in the 1940’s, the representation of women is affected by the patriarchal society at the time. This is why women are often disrespected by the men in the film as seen with characters such as captain Vidal.

Technological- Director Del Torro used a mixture of CGI and practical effects in order to create the illusion of the mystical creatures seeming realistic as they can interact with the real world. He does this without breaking the immersion of the film