PANS LABRYINTH : This Adult Fairy Tale Is 2006's Most Visually Stunning & Absorbing Film...

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2007)

PANS LABRYINTH
With PANS LABYRINTH, Guillermo Del Toro has managed to create an adult fairy tale that pays homage to classically dark children's stories like ALICE IN WONDERLAND without ever abandoning a purely adult tone. The film is a masterpiece on many levels, but perhaps what is most impressive about PANS LABYRINTH is the fact that it can seamlessly blend such dangerously varied genres (fairy tales, war films, coming-of-age drama, horror film, etc) into a piece that is capable of reaching fans of each genre without alienating the other. PANS LABYRINTH is a film that truly could, and should, be enjoyed by everyone over the age of 15.
The movie tells the story of Ofelia (played with stunning maturity by Ivana Baquero) as she moves in with her new step-father, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez, in an intimidating performance). Ofelia's mother is pregnant, and Captain Vidal's only reason for taking on this new family is to ensure that he has a son to carry on his legacy. Captain Vidal is a brutal man, willing to kill anyone who presents opposition to him, and young Ofelia, with a wandering imagination, wants out.
One of the most delightful elements of PANS LABYRINTH is the way Del Torro never seems to make a concrete decision as to whether the fantasy elements are reality or not. It's the same approach used in THE WIZARD OF OZ and ALICE IN WONDERLAND, in which the viewer is left wondering if Dorothy ever really left Kansas, or if Alice ever really went down a rabbit hole. Once Ofelia arrives at her new home, fantastic things start to happen to her. First, a fairy visits her at night and leads her to the bottom of Capt. Vidal's backyard Labyrinth. It is here that Ofelia meets Pan, the faun. Ofelia learns that she may in fact be a long lost princess of the underworld, and only by completing three very specific tasks can she ever escape the nightmare that is Post-War Spain.
PANS LABYRINTH can be appreciated on many levels. From some angles, it seems like an interpretation of what heaven may be to the young girl. In another way, it acts as a propaganda film for keeping our earth healthy and alive. Perhaps some might see the movie as an exploration of how one's sanity is destroyed in war. And from yet another viewpoint, PANS LABRYINTH is simply an engrossing fairy tale with high stakes and incredible tension. Masterfully wrapped together by the hands of Guillermo Del Toro, the film works on all these levels.
Alongside the LOTR trilogy, PANS LABYRINTH is one of the greatest examples of how incredible a fantasy film can be if it isn't given the care and attention it deserves. The creativity is literally pouring from the screen, and believe me, PANS LABYRINTH is without a doubt the most stunningly visual film of the year (though THE FOUNTAIN is a strong second). The creatures that inhabit this fantasy world are simply incredible to look at, whether they are lovable (the image of a praying mantis-like creature trying to take on the appearance of a fairy) or downright terrifying (the image of an eyeless creature who rests in slumber till a child comes for dinner), PANS LABRYINTH's creatures are never second rate.
Absolutely everybody should see PANS LABYRINTH. It will mean different things to different audiences, depending on the viewers skepticism and age. However, one thing is for sure... no matter what feelings PANS LABYRINTH stirs for it's viewer, it is the most absorbing 2 hours of cinema released in 2006. Del Torro has relished in the fact that his film never has a set structure or audience, and in doing so he has blessed us with one of the most creatively exuberant fantasies ever.
... A+ ...