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In the fascist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
Ivana Baquero: Ofelia
Sergi López: Captain Vidal
Guillermo Del Toro's El laberinto del fauno, translating as Pan's Labyrinth or The labyrinth of the faun, has been called a fairy tale, but it is one with dark, exotic colours, a seething reality of warmth, and a tragic adult fairy tale reminiscent to the tones entwined, for example, in The Brother's Grimm stories.
Historical, realistic merging with the layers and realms that equal fantasy. Guillermo Del Toro effortlessly combines the two Worlds; Essentially one World thus joined.
It owes a debt to the Latin genre concerning magical realism, as it reflects the grim fantasies revolving around a young child caught in the middle of a brutal conflict and her desperate longing for a world without torment and anguish. Set in Spain after Franco had emerged victorious in the Spanish Civil War, Nationalist troops and die hard resistance fighters continue the struggle in the Spanish countryside.
As the film opens, Carmen (Ariadna Gil) and her daughter Ofelia, brilliantly performed by Ivana Baquero, are travelling to join Carmen's new husband, Falangist Captain Vidal (Sergei Lopez) in his military headquarters.
The film shifts seamlessly between fantasy sequences and the armed conflict. Captain Vidal is depicted as a soldier who takes pleasure in killing. In one scene, he sadistically beats a peasant to death with a bottle, suspecting him of being a rebel. However, his actions, brutality and cruelty is not limited merely to rebels. When Carmen becomes sick during her difficult pregnancy, the girl hears her stepfather tell the doctor that if it comes to a choice between saving the mother or saving the baby, he wants him to save the baby.
Nationalist men, fascist men deal strength through lacking in empathy and essentially weakness is nurturing compassion for those considered weak. Captain Vidal is merely the equation of a unified sense of patriotism mixed with hatred for the World which is to be this perfect World. He is a product of Franco. A product of malicious certainty which wishes to eradicate anything that opposes the regime.
Amidst all this darkness, Ofelia develops a warm relationship with the housekeeper, Mercedes (Maribel Verdu), whom she later discovers sneaks out at night to bring messages, food, and medical supplies to the rebels. The Captain is merciless when he discovers Mercedes' treason as well as that of Dr. Ferreiro (Alex Angulo) whom later refuses to obey Vidal's orders.
As the world around her grows darker and her mother becomes sicker, Ofelia further retreats into her dream world. Soon she must make the most difficult choice any person can be asked to make.
Pan's Labyrinth is a strong and layered film but it is also emotional, tragic and dramatically charged while being powerfully subjective.
Del Toro's work, however, is not confined merely to metaphysics or spirituality.
Essentially his story is a personal film about memory, life and dreams. As both Ofelia and Vidal remember their fathers, Guillermo Del Toro wants the world to remember the sadistic nature of the Franco regime, the courage of those who stood up against its brutality, and the innocence his country lost forever.
Overall, Pan's Labyrinth won 3 Oscars for it's beauty and arty majestic approach. Art direction, cinematography and make up we're the respective awards yet I feel it is much more than merely a beautiful style over substance venture. This is a beautiful, effect laden piece, yes, but it is also deep, meaningful and reflective of ideals and philosophical discussion regarding life and death. In that respect, Pan's Labyrinth achieves eternal, loving adoration from audiences and film lovers. A timeless classic for years to come.
''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.''
10/10
