The work of a real director

Rating: 9/10 (29 November 2006)

I watched this film yesterday and still have a little trouble putting the experience as a whole into words - but this is the gist of what i've managed to relay to everyone so far...
This is quite literally an amazing piece of work, i thought it would require a huge leap of faith to follow a so called 'fantasy for grown-ups', but i barely recall ever feeling so enchanted. I went into the cinema with the preconceptions of a fantasy-epic appealing to a child-like imagination, with some mature themes justifying it's 15 certificate.
Although that's not an entirely defunct analysis, the film has a depth that simply can't be expressed. It's seems such a personal film in terms of it's content, but too stylistically rich and impeccably structured to be considered 'art-house'. It just works perfectly. I'm not sure if this is because of the realism it's Spanish Civil War setting allows, or whether the special effects are so understated that you barely recognise them, but the film's authenticity is never a cause of concern for the viewer. For a high-concept fantasy celebrating the power of fairy-tales, that's no mean feat.
This review will become ridiculously long if i start praising the film's cinematography, sound, production design and general look (CGI+costume; George Lucas take note) in any real depth. It all seems so unified in the vision of the film as a whole that it basically blends into the same thing. That the film achieves such consistency throughout is the highest possible praise for each individual department.
I do, however, think specific mention has got to go to del Toro for the beauty of the film's writing and ultimate realisation. I've never understood complimenting 'good direction' in a film because i don't think it really means anything. But the pace, detail and relevance of each shot is so precise and complimentary that i'll afford del Toro that very accolade, if nothing else because he seems so completely in control of his vision. It is breathtaking cinema.
The performances he gets out of Baquero (Orfelia) and Lopez (the Captain) are astonishing. If you believe the actors, you believe the film. As mentioned before, i believed everything. As something of an aside, i recently posted a comment about the 'Casino Royale' Bond film and tried to put into words how devastatingly it managed to fail on every level. 'Pan's Labyrinth' reminded me why cinema really can succeed, and (if what i've heard is to be believed) all for around a tenth of of the former's budget. It's embarrassing. I can't request strongly enough that you really should see for yourself.