"Hi, are you a fairy?"
January 17th 2007 00:45
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) (2006)
Drama/ Fantasy/ Thriller/ Heartbreaker
I saw this film on the weekend and having read a local review, was expecting a gothic Alice in Wonderland. Set in 1944, in the North of Spain, Pan’s Labyrinth follows the story of a young girl called Ofelia, who has just moved with her pregnant mother to live with her new father, the notorious Captain Vidal, leader of the Spanish military. It is set on a rural property at the end of the fascist war, however, Vidal is still combating a guerrilla sect consisting mostly of local farmers and so on, that have been hiding in the surrounding forest. It is Vidal’s ‘mission’ to cleanse Spain of such ‘filth’ and he uses any means necessary to get what he wants; cue horrific violence, oppression and injustice. Needless to say I was completely shocked and at times appalled throughout this film. Alice in Wonderland, it ain’t.
Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade 2, Mimic), Pan’s Labyrinth is a foreign language film, spoken in del Toro’s native tongue, Spanish, but it is such a visual film that the audience barely notices this. The costumes and sets are spectacular and del Toro really brings the fairytale aspect of this film to life through elaborate yet earthy sets and strong, likeable characters.
Like most traditional fairytales, prior to the world of Disney and Pixar, this film is definitely not for children and although visually beautiful, it has a frightening and dark core. There were moments that were absolutely terrifying in both Ofelia’s fantasy world and the real one, and at times it was difficult to decide which was safer or which I’d prefer to live in.
Sergi Lopez gives a fist clenching performance as the Captain Vidal (Dirty Pretty Things), Maribel Verdu (Y tu mamá también) is excellent as Mercedes, Doug Jones (Hellboy) plays a convincing and at times menacing faun/ Pan, and newcomer; Ivana Baquero is sweet and promising as Ofelia.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a look at a world falling apart from a child’s perspective and how she uses her vivid imagination to deal with circumstances that are beyond her control. This film is extremely violent, graphic, sad and frightening. It is not for the faint of heart or spirit and although I can’t say that I particularly liked the film that much (it was quite long and at times felt drawn out – coupled with shock value and bloody relentlessness), I know I needed to see it. It really is a triumph for Guillermo del Toro and all involved, and will stay with me for a long time.
Drama/ Fantasy/ Thriller/ Heartbreaker
I saw this film on the weekend and having read a local review, was expecting a gothic Alice in Wonderland. Set in 1944, in the North of Spain, Pan’s Labyrinth follows the story of a young girl called Ofelia, who has just moved with her pregnant mother to live with her new father, the notorious Captain Vidal, leader of the Spanish military. It is set on a rural property at the end of the fascist war, however, Vidal is still combating a guerrilla sect consisting mostly of local farmers and so on, that have been hiding in the surrounding forest. It is Vidal’s ‘mission’ to cleanse Spain of such ‘filth’ and he uses any means necessary to get what he wants; cue horrific violence, oppression and injustice. Needless to say I was completely shocked and at times appalled throughout this film. Alice in Wonderland, it ain’t.
Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade 2, Mimic), Pan’s Labyrinth is a foreign language film, spoken in del Toro’s native tongue, Spanish, but it is such a visual film that the audience barely notices this. The costumes and sets are spectacular and del Toro really brings the fairytale aspect of this film to life through elaborate yet earthy sets and strong, likeable characters.
Like most traditional fairytales, prior to the world of Disney and Pixar, this film is definitely not for children and although visually beautiful, it has a frightening and dark core. There were moments that were absolutely terrifying in both Ofelia’s fantasy world and the real one, and at times it was difficult to decide which was safer or which I’d prefer to live in.
Sergi Lopez gives a fist clenching performance as the Captain Vidal (Dirty Pretty Things), Maribel Verdu (Y tu mamá también) is excellent as Mercedes, Doug Jones (Hellboy) plays a convincing and at times menacing faun/ Pan, and newcomer; Ivana Baquero is sweet and promising as Ofelia.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a look at a world falling apart from a child’s perspective and how she uses her vivid imagination to deal with circumstances that are beyond her control. This film is extremely violent, graphic, sad and frightening. It is not for the faint of heart or spirit and although I can’t say that I particularly liked the film that much (it was quite long and at times felt drawn out – coupled with shock value and bloody relentlessness), I know I needed to see it. It really is a triumph for Guillermo del Toro and all involved, and will stay with me for a long time.
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
I saw this film last year -- because Bryn mentioned the details of the preview screening (for which there were cheaper tickets).
There's plenty of things that stay with me -- the captain's beating of the rabbit hunters, Mercedes' cutting of the captain's face, the captain's sewing of said face, the captain's last moment, the big toad and the bugs, the mandrake baby, the why-the-hell-are-you-eating-those-grapes-you-idiot moments, and the consequent eating of the fairies.
Pan was beautifully grotesque, and often seemed on the point of reaching out and killing Ofelia.
I wonder if I would have at any point trusted him...
Comment by Emma
Sometimes there are just pieces of film that I think are important to see because they reveal historical truths that we may not neccessarily know about or they are able to crystallise certain aspects of human nature that we may not necessarily want to admit. I needed to see it for those reasons. And for those reasons, I felt it was an important film.
True about Pan too. I liked his character because his shifty nature gave him depth.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
This is on my film list, maybe for this weekend. Your review was great as usual. I'll let you know what I think when I've seen it
Byee