Pan’s Labyrinth
Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez; Directed by Guillermo Del Toro
When Ofelia accompanies her mother to a remote military outpost in the mountains of Spain, she is appalled to learn that the Captain there is a cruel and sadistic leader. She is even more distressed to learn that this is the man who is to be her stepfather. Ofelia’s world begins to turn upside-down when her expecting mother suddenly grows deathly ill, and the Captain’s war with the rebels (who are hiding in the nearby hills) brings the violence of battle closer and closer. Ofelia is awakened one night by a fairy who leads her into an old labyrinth that sits several yards beyond the house. A grotesque and mysterious faun awaits her deep within the maze. He tells her that she is a princess - the reincarnated daughter of the King of the Underworld. If she wishes to return to her true father, and escape the brutal and chaotic life at the outpost, she must perform three tasks before the next full moon. Meanwhile, it is learned that certain members of the household are helping the rebels in the woods, and the Captain’s increasing suspicions and fears complicate Ofelia’s plans. When everything begins quickly falling apart around her, she soon learns that the belief in magic may be the only thing left that will save her.
This film was incessantly dark - both in content and visually. Most of the scenes were set at night, or in the shadowy rooms and halls of the outpost. If a scene happened to be set outside in daylight, the sky would be overcast and threatening. To say nothing of the mysterious places Ofelia ventured in order to perform the three tasks. But the story certainly lent itself to the gloomy cinematography, and this, combined with the awe-inspiring production design, made for a visual feast as sumptuous and alluring as the one Ofelia is warned not to touch during one of the tasks. A few notes of the composer’s haunting lullaby echo around the theatre, and we are invited into the fairy tale. But this is not a warm, cordial invitation - it is an insidious looking faun, standing at the mouth of a dark cave, beckoning us in with a clawed finger. Ignoring inner warning signals, we are drawn in, soon to realize that there is no turning back.
We, just like Ofelia, are presented with a way to escape our lives for a few hours, but our shared road with her is bloody and terrifying. Though this film is a fantasy, the majority of it is set in the ‘real world’, where we are exposed to all of the deaths, tortures, and mutilations that a dark, wartime story requires. We spend almost more time with the Captain than we do with Ofelia. Interrogation scenes and gun battles almost seem to take precedence over the fairytale part of the story. Anyone expecting to spend the majority of their time during this movie in a fantasy world is bound to be disappointed. That doesn’t make it a bad story, however, just one that doesn’t take us too far from this world. The performances in this film where all excellent, and in the Captain, director/writer Guillermo Del Toro scripted one of the nastiest villains that modern cinema has seen. Young Ofelia draws us to her side instantly. Her innocence, strength, and faith makes her the kind of hero we would gladly jump through the screen to protect as she faces danger after danger, desperately clinging to the hope that she will come to find the peace and safety she seeks. It is a harrowing story with heart-wrenching results.
Every time I was pulled out of one of Guillermo Del Toro’s fanciful places, I lamented. Even when Ofelia is being chased down by the Pale Man, (a child-hungry creature who holds his eyeballs in his hands) I still wanted to slow down to take in the surroundings. I wanted more. I didn’t necessarily expect to find myself watching what was, for the most part, a war story. I could’ve just gone next door to Clint Eastwood’s film Letters from Iwo Jima if I had been in the mood for that sort of thing. So in that, I was a little disappointed. But fortunately, the story proved to be intelligent and thought provoking enough to avoid any major failure. It is a fine tale about selflessness, the treasure of child-like faith, and the ultimate sacrifice of love, - told in the darkest and bloodiest words.
Story = A-
Originality = B+
Acting = A
Enjoyability = B
Visuals = A
Overall = B+
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