EL LABERINTO DEL FAUNO: PAN’S LABYRINTH
EL LABERINTO DEL FAUNO: PAN’S LABYRINTH: REALITY IN A FANTASY WORLD
Guillermo Del Toro’s (Hellboy) Pan’s Labyrinth is a violent, scary, and harsh look at reality. The movie is a fairy tale for adults with a healthy dose of graphic brutality that is almost too much for this story about a little girl and her venture into a maze filled with fairies, monsters, and the possibility of becoming a princess.
It is 1944 in Spain. The military is at war with guerrillas. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) have come to live with the Captain (Sergi Lopez). Carmen is married to the Captain and is pregnant with his child. She is very sick and is more impatient with her daughter than understanding when it comes to their new situation. She asks Ofelia to address the Captain as “Father”. But Ofelia can see how cruel and monstrous this man is. So when Ofelia encounters a fairy, she sees a place to escape. The fairy takes her to a Labyrinth that Ofelia had tried to explore on her first day. In the Labyrinth Ofelia meets Pan (Doug Jones). Pan explains to Ofelia that she is the princess that they have been waiting for. He tells her that she must complete three tasks to prove that she is the princess. If she is successful with her tasks, she will be reunited with her father the King. All of this takes Ofelia away from the difficult and sad situation that has become her life.
This is not your typical fairy tale. This isn’t your typical horror film. That you can’t classify this film as one type of genre is one of its original qualities. Del Toro hit it big with Hellboy and is at work on the sequel. He has commercial success. I am not sure that this will be the case with Labyrinth. The story is original with its intertwining of fantasy and sad reality during war times. The young Baquero is wonderful, playing the Ofelia with stubborn facial expressions and softness of voice to convey her pain. You can feel how hard this is affecting her and why she would turn to this mythical world with Pan. Visual effects are vibrant and disturbing at the same time. Ofelia’s time in the Labyrinth and while she is attempting her tasks show a lively imagination and the effects bring them to life. But while all of the positive attribute showcase a unique film, its tone may be too dark for audiences. It is not an upbeat story and never gives Ofelia a reason to come back to her place in reality. The vicious scenes where the Captain and his military are inflicting pain are almost unbearable to watch. And there are numerous ones.
As I mentioned previously, I believe that the violence was gratuitous. It is unexpected in the beginning and becomes harder and harder to watch as the movie progresses. I understand that Del Toro wanted to illustrate how hard times are during war, but it was to the point where it was all I focused on. I loved Ofelia’s interaction with Pan and her effort to become a princess. But it was hard to take that away with me once the film was over as all I could think about were scenes where the Captain’s prey were being beaten (including Ofelia).
Pan’s Labyrinth is not for your typical audience. The story is a one of a kind with its fantasy characteristics combined with a severe look at Spain during war. I would recommend it only to those that aren’t faint of heart due to the violence and its excessive use.
Report Card:
Story-B+
Acting-B
Visuals-B+
Originality/Innovation-B-
Enjoyability Grade–B
Overall Grade-B
|
