A violent and mysterious fairytale about resisting under oppression

Rating: 7/10 (25 January 2007)

Violent and touching, mysterious and somber all at the same; Pan's Labyrinth is a mystical historical fairytale set in the heart of the Spanish civil war. The story follows a bright precocious girl and her mother who go to live with her new father, a brutal, unrelenting captain intent on conquering the republicans who are threatening the fascist front.
The film is beautiful to watch. Crisply filmed and recorded, you can hear the ruffle of the army uniforms, the ambiance of the forest life and the creak of seasoned wood furniture. The Spanish woodlands and country and picturesque and really take you back to classic 1930s Spain.
At times it is very violent and merciless demonstrating the regimes that people were under during this period in Spain's history. In fact the camera never shies away from these shocking scenes. The characters are very aware of what is happening around them and many of them become caught in a stalemate. Some try to struggle against the oppression - you can feel their burdens and distress - and win back their freedom
The weathered art direction and evocative makeup is sensual and nostalgic. The colours are very dark browns, greens and blues which suit the macabre content and atmosphere of the film, but this also contrasts well with the labyrinth that Ofelia escapes into.
The film is very ominous at times and more balanced towards telling the story of the war rather than this young girl. I felt the film was a bit lopsided towards the violence and politics and not wondrous enough in the element of fantasy. I would have liked to know more about Ofelia, and delve deeper into her fantasies. Ofelia is played with such charm, inquisitiveness, with intelligence and beauty that it she becomes irresistible to love. I was disappointed that her storyline was not made exploited more in the film as Ofelia's interpretation of the world around her would have made some for thrilling scenes.
In addition, we do not see much of her fantasies and they do not push the film's plot greatly in any way. The film's editing was also a but choppy at times and there were some moments that seemed to lack energy or a spark, and I found myself hoping the plot would move along.
In any case, this is fine film, held up by the wonderful set decoration, make-up and vivid recreation of evergreen civil war Spain. The score sustains the film's horror and hope, ravishingly composed by Javier Navarrete. Thanks to the likes of del Toro and Iñárritu, Mexican cinema has been deservedly celebrated with a rich narrative and fantastical cultural elements. These are stunning filmmakers. Don't miss your chance to see this one.
P.S: This film has been nominated for an amazing 6 academy awards without being recognised in the major categories and as a foreign film. This is fantastic cinematic craft.