Pan’s Labyrinth

Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Ariadna Gil

Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Scr. Guillermo del Toro

Warning – I am going to rave about this movie. Rave until I can rave no more. Because this is truly one of the most visually lush, incredibly sad, beautifully magical movies I have ever seen. Another warning – do not take kids to this movie. Yes, the lead may well be a young girl and, yes, it may well be a fairytale. But this is a fairytale strictly for adults. And non-squeamish ones at that.

Set in Fascist Spain in 1944, Pan’s Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl, Ofelia (Baquero), who is taken by her pregnant and ailing mother to live in the woods (awesome!) with her new father, a not-very-nice-at-all Captain in the Spanish Army (not so awesome). There she meets a fairy and a faun and her life will never be the same again. Ofelia, the faun named Pan informs her, must complete three tasks before she can claim her rightful place as Princess Moanna and ... well, why don’t I just let the movie explain itself: “A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning...” Beautiful. So, set on getting herself (and her family) out of horrible place and time she finds herself in, Ofelia is determined to complete the tasks while also nursing her sick mother and avoiding her new father.

Set alongside this magical story is the political battle between the Captain and his troops, and the communist revolutionaries hiding in the woods (aided by some dissenters in the Captain’s camp). This story is just as powerful and moving as Ofelia’s struggle and, as the movie progresses, the two tales become interwoven. And we learn a frightening lesson – the evil that exists in the real world is so much more chilling than that in a fairytale. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that (in a typically European tradition) many characters die. And, in a very non-Hollywood way, death is not always a bad thing.

The acting in this film is top-notch. Baquero is brilliant and mature beyond her years. She is emotional heart of the story and we root for her, are scared with her, and cry for her. Verdu plays Mercedes, who works for the Captain and befriends Ofelia, but has a secret of her own. Verdu is a very powerful actress and is superb in this role. Lopez plays the Captain with great relish and, jeez, did he give me nightmares! He is absolutely amazing – utterly charming and completely evil. The best combination.

Having seen Hellboy (del Toro’s adaptation of the graphic novel), I knew that the effects and costumes in this film would be very convincing. But I was still surprised by how completely amazing this film looked. The faun is a joy to behold. And that creature with the eyes in his hands – wow. Creepy beyond belief. You won’t find computer graphics here (well, you will, but you won’t notice them). Everything is skin-crawlingly organic, including the violence which will perhaps put some off this film – just make sure you can hide behind something or someone when the Captain sews his own face back together. Ick!

Guillermo del Toro has created something very special. This film represents everything that a true fairytale should be – dark, disturbing and dangerous. Its images and imaginings will stay with you for a long time. It is both incredibly sad and beautifully uplifting. Do yourself a favour – see this film. You will not be disappointed.

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Capitán Vidal: You could have obeyed me!
Doctor: But captain, to obey - just like that - for obedience's sake... without questioning ... That's something only people like you do.