Writer and director Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” has been called a fairy tale for adults, but it is actually two separate genres woven together to make a modern masterpiece.
Del Toro, whose previous films include the American movies “Hellboy” and “Blade II” (try not to hold that against him), mixes the war-drama and fantasy genres to show the power of the imagination and the need for it in a time of pain and sadness.
In 1944, a young girl, Ofelia, and her pregnant mother, Carmen, travel through the mountains of Spain where they are to meet up with Carmen’s new husband, Captain Vidal.
The sadistic captain, fighting for Franco’s fascist regime, is battling a small group of resistance fighters. Ofelia, whose mother is quite sick after the long trip, finds herself alone most of the time and escapes into her fantasy books and her imagination to suppress her fear and sadness.
There, Ofelia stumbles upon a labyrinth and meets a faun who tells her that she is the princess of a magical kingdom – the same old story Hollywood shoves down our throats every year.
To prove herself worthy, she has to complete three tasks. Now, for those of you already confused or turned off by this summary, trust me, it is much more interesting and easy to follow in the theaters and the final product is amazing.
The star of this movie is 12-year-old Ivana Baquero, who brilliantly portrays Ofelia. Her performance is heartbreaking yet hopeful. Maribel Verdú also gives a strong performance as Mercedes, the captain’s personal assistant with a secret to hide. But it is Sergi López, the captain, who will send shivers up your spine. This man is pure evil; a brutally violent and sick man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
This film is in no way a children’s movie. It definitely earns its “R” rating with extremely realistic violence and gore that made everybody in the theater groan. The violence in this movie was a little too much, but its necessary to show just how twisted the Captain was.
In addition to wonderful performances, this film boasts some of the most gorgeous cinematography. At times, the colors seem to jump off the screen; at other times, the screen is consumed by blacks and grays. The special effects are incredible, as, creating some of the creepiest monsters and weirdest creatures you can imagine. The film also has a brilliant music score by composer Javier Navarrete.
This film is a haunting, beautiful and, at times, disturbing fantasy masterpiece that is one of the most original movies I have ever seen. But don’t expect a picture-perfect happy ending like in all of the children’s fairy tales. This story stays true to the characters and does not insult the audience by having a squeaky-clean finish. This is a brilliantly dark film all about the necessity for hope and imagination in a time of great turmoil. The trick is to let your imagination go with it and try seeing the world through Ofelia’s eyes. This was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, and it is truly one of the best films in a long time.
Robert Bux can be reached at [email protected].
