Pan's Labyrinth

Title: Pan's Labyrinth
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Year: 2006
MPAA: Rated R for graphic violence and some language.
Date of Review: February 11, 2007

No two films by Guillermo Del Toro are the same, or even similar. His first film, Cronos, was a stunningly original take on vampire mythology, combining aspects of well-known vampire lore with Del Toro's own fascination with insect biology. The Devil's Backbone was a heart-wrenching ghost tale which was both unnerving and beautiful. Blade II and Hellboy were two comic book adaptations that showed how much fun one could have with the source material, satisfying both longtime fans of the books and newcomers whose first experiences with the characters were these very films. Now with Pan's Labyrinth he shows us his most human film, combining storytelling elements from each of his films with wonderful costume and set designs, to create his most accomplished film to date.

Pan's Labyrinth is the story of Ofelia, a little girl who explores a beautiful and frightening fantasy world which mirrors the turbulent time she lives in: the Spanish Civil War. As she explores this new world, she comes to realize that her place in the fantasy world is much more clearly defined than what she has in the real world. The creatures she meets throughout this world are startling to look at, with almost nothing that physically resembles a human being - but Ofelia is never afraid, because she has seen much worse monsters in the world of man.

The imagery in Pan’s Labyrinth really steals the show upon a first viewing. That is not to say that the narrative or characters are shallow - in fact, they’re entirely the opposite, providing fleshed out, real human emotions. But the worlds that Del Toro has created in this film are breathtaking. From the swooping opening shot showing a glorious castle under the cover of a blue night sky, to the nightmarish world of “The Pale Man” - a blind monster who eats anyone that samples from the delightful buffet that sits in front of him - each setting is unique, but has an organic flow that makes it feel not-too-far from reality. And as Ofelia curiously explores each area, we cannot help but feel just as full of wonder as she does.

This film is rich in symbolism, but the great thing about the way Del Toro crafted the story is that one does not need to pick up on this symbolism in order to have just as emotional and rewarding a time watching it all unfold. As with his previous works, a lot of the imagery consists of insects and very insect-like transformations and metamorphoses, symbolizing characters’ revelations in mind, body and spirit. But one can watch the scene of an enormous toad regurgitating its innards and simply see that at face value, while another sees a comparison with Ofelia’s fascist step father who lives in a barren land killing the occasional straggler (as the toad lives in a dead tree sparsely eating flies). And neither viewer’s interpretation of the scene would be wrong. It’s Del Toro’s ability to step back and let the audience see and feel for themselves - rather than guiding their hand - that gives the film so much power and universal connectivity.

One cannot talk about this movie without mentioning the superb performances - most notably from Ivana Baquero as the young Ofelia. It is a universal truth that a child actor can make or break a film - especially when said film stars said child in the leading role. But Baquero, like every other child actor Del Toro has used, was wonderful. She was able to evoke the feelings of wonder, innocence and fearlessness that were required in the role without resorting to the hammy nature that so many child actors before her have ruined entire movies with. And while her lines of dialogue are few, she delivers them just as realistically as she does the physicality of the role.

Sergi López gives a genuinely frightening performance as Capitán Vidal, Ofelia’s sadistic, fascist stepfather. His scenes of merciless brutality come completely unexpected and will shock even the most diehard horror and gore fans in the audience, but like everything else in the film these scenes are not there for the sake of showing senseless violence. Del Toro does a great job of making Vidal very easy to hate, and strengthening the connection between him and the evil monsters of the fantasy world.

Pan’s Labyrinth is a movie that’s hard not to recommend to everyone. It has all of the things that make going to the movies such a great experience: drama, intelligence, heartache, an easily hated villain, and an even more easily loved protagonist. Combined with its stunning imagery and Del Toro’s one-of-a-kind imagination, it is a movie that should be seen by everyone.

10 / 10