Compelling adult fairy tale...

Rating: 8/10 (10 February 2007)

...left this viewer sitting in quiet wonder. Auteur Guillermo del Toro, previously responsible for the immensely entertaining "Hellboy," and the at least visually remarkable "Blade II," along with a better than expected "Mimic" and cult favorite "Chronos," shows himself to be at the top of his form in this violently beautiful film. There's no question in my mind that I'll be looking forward to "Hellboy II," as well as "3993."
Lensed with absolute mastery by Guillermo "Jackie Brown" Navarro, "El Laberinto del Fauno" (Pan's Labyrinth) is the story of a young Spanish girl on the cusp of adolescence, deeply immersed in the fantasy world of her own vivid imagination, who ventures into that fantasy world in reaction to the difficulties of life in war-torn fascist Spain in mid-1944. Whether that escape into magical realms is "real" or simply a product of her overwrought psyche dealing with the daily horrors of her situation is a question the audience must answer for itself; del Toro is careful not to make the decision himself, and the film is all the more powerful for it. The production design, art direction, costuming, make-up and sfx, the sound fx, the score; all are deliciously detailed and extravagantly perfect, even when they make the audience cringe with horror or repulsion. In truth, "El Laberinto del Fauno" is as close to a fully realized modern Grimm's Fairy Tale as one could hope.
The acting is excellent all the way around. Relative newcomer Ivana Baquero is appealingly innocent and resourceful as Ofelia, a little girl caught up in the whirlwind of life's harsh realities. Seasoned veteran Maribel Verdú, an actress I am thrilled to have finally discovered, plays Ofelia's confidante with resolute grace and, as it turns out, revolutionary strength. I can only believe that she is well-respected in the Spanish-speaking acting community, and beloved by her audiences. Ariadna "Belle Époque" Gil is wan and sympathetic as Ofelia's doomed mother, and I trust is equally respected and loved.
Wonderful as the women are, special deference must be paid to the incredible performances of Sergi López as the villainous Capitán Vidal (a man so cold-hearted that he can stitch up his own filleted cheek with barely a peep of the pain he dispenses so readily to his enemies), and the inestimably talented Doug "Hellboy" Jones in the dual roles of Pan and the Pale Man (his vocal readings as Pan are outstanding, absolutely awesome once you realize he doesn't speak Spanish) (3/10 edit: I was sorry to discover that his voice was dubbed over by another actor, though that hardly lessens his physical performance)
"El Laberinto del Fauno" is, quite simply, remarkable and deliriously effective, and firmly cements del Toro's growing reputation as a director to watch closely. Be warned: this is not a movie for children. The violence is quite brutal and graphic (though never gratuitous), as it is in the best of fairy tales; lessons are not learned when artlessly censored. "El Laberinto del Fauno" speaks to the child within, but does so with the unswerving eyes of an adult. It will definitely be a keeper on DVD.