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by George Hornby
Set in Franco’s Spain in 1944, the imaginative stepchild of a sadistic fascist army captain discovers an incredible new fantasy world.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth attempts to combine the fantastical creatures and perils of a children’s bedtime story with the terrifying evils of a real life dictatorship. The product of this combination results in 118 minutes of adventure, peril, evil villains and tragic deaths. Pan’s Labyrinth, or El Laberinto Del Fauno in Del Toro’s native Spanish, is a must watch, and keeps you guessing at every turn.
The film follows Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), an 11 year old girl who uses books and fairy tales as an escape, as she and her heavily pregnant mother move to the Spanish countryside to stay with Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), Ofelia’s new stepfather, and the man hunting Spanish rebels in the surrounding hills. Almost the minute Ofelia arrives, she awakens a magical Faun, who tells her that she might be the long lost princess of a realm unknown to humans. She is instructed to undergo a series of 3 challenges, but as she discovers her new and magical world, the real world around her starts to close in.
One of Pan’s Labyrinth’s strengths lies in its creatures. Del Toro constructs an immensely believable world through the design of his magical and fantastic monsters. The most recognizable of these is The Pale Man, a beast that barely resembles a human with eye sockets in its hands and a penchant for devouring infants. Within seconds of seeing the creature, you instantly understand the danger that Ofelia finds herself in, and you feel fear for our heroine as she awakens the creature by breaking the one rule the Faun gave her; Do not eat anything. The Pale Man sits at a banquet table filled to the brim with colourful and enticing foods, but it would rather eat the poor fairies that defend Ofelia. The walls of the chamber that houses the Pale Man are covered in paintings and tapestries of the Pale Man eating infants. This is one of Del Toro’s many commentaries on religion, mainly the Catholic Church, of which he used to be a member. Del Toro’s films are filled with images and symbolism that reflect his own political and ideological views.
Considered one of the most memorable parts of the film, Sergi Lopez’ Captain Vidal is ruthless and purely evil, reflecting the fascist regime that he has dedicated his life to. From the start he is shown as unkind and uncaring to young Ofelia. Their first interaction ends in a stern scolding from the much older man, setting the precedent for their increasingly tense relationship. Lopez plays Vidal brilliantly; his obsession with rules and proper etiquette are made clear from his first line, as he mutters a complaint about his wife arriving 15 minutes later than expected. From proper handshakes to the cleanliness of his boots to constantly keeping time with his father’s broken pocket watch, Vidal symbolizes the very regime in which he is a part of: Facism and order above all else. The way Vidal is unopposed and desensitized to any sort of violence or torture against anyone, including innocent peasants, women and even children illicits fear in both viewer and Ofelia, a fear that was very real for many people.
Through Pan’s Labyrinth’s strengths, I personally struggle to find many, if any, flaws. It is by no means a perfect film, and some would want a few more plot elements to be more developed, such as Vidal’s relationship with his now dead father. It is hinted to many times, especially at the dinner party scene, and as well at the end, that Vidal has an obsession with his father, and wants to also be a strong and brave parent to his infant son, but the thread is merely alluded to.
Overall, Pan’s Labyrinth is an incredibly well made film, with incredible costume design and character development, and an ending that would satisfy any viewer.
Rating: 8/10
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