A Magical Journey

Rating: 10/10 (26 September 2018)

Pan's Labyrinth (2006), a drama and suspense packed Spanish film directed by Guillermo del Toro that had my eyes glued to the screen throughout the unfolding of the two storylines that take place. Initially this idea may seem to be a concerning as it could cause the film to lose a sense of depth, but reassured the film is full of substance as it seamlessly transitions between war and fairytale till the very end when it all fits together quite nicely. The story follows Ofelia, a 12 year old girl as she begins her new life under her new stepfather the brutal and intense Captain Vidal, who never seemed fond of Ofelia to begin with. Ofelia sets up upon a magical journey where her goal is to complete 3 difficult at times tasks, and Captain Vidal is going to great lengths to maintain his regime and eradicate the Republicans. Guillermo del Toro's film works because he allows us to build an emotional bond with his characters through a fantastic premise. The film possess a good mix of pain and joy, and just the right amount of light humor, such as the working women interacting in the kitchen.
When looking at the editing of the film, my biggest take way was the different colored camera filters used throughout the film, which worked perfectly. Using blue filters during more sad scenes helped us sympathize with characters, while yellow filters put a smile on our faces as they portrayed hope.
This film is an absolute must see, a true masterpiece to say the least. The film is just really well organized, as Guillermo del Toro magically takes two very different stories and almost seems to tell them at the same time without missing a beat as they constantly build off each other, until they become one. Overall, in my opinion the amazing balance of bitter sweet moments really made this one of kind, ten out of ten hands down.