Closest Thing To Art That Film Has Experienced In Years

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2007)

I just finished the movie today and I must say that this is by far one of the most artistic and beautiful movies I have seen in years. The producers of the film were right to call this a modern fairytale, since it has all the ingredients for an authentic Brothers Grimm story. Just don't expect there to be lots of happy faces in the film. This is a real, bloody (very bloody), moody, emotional fairy tale just like the ones in the past.
First of all, I have to say that the technical design in this film was astounding. The art direction was spot on for all the locations, whether its the imaginary world of the labyrinth or the mill that the fascists call their base. The music is some of the best I've heard in a film for a long time, drawing that fantasy feel of the movie perfectly and inspiring so many emotions in one chord than other films could in their whole screening. The sound was top notch as well, never sounding like just a compilation of reused sound effects. And of course, the make-up design is flawless and imaginative. The biggest shock was the cinematography. Now, I personally thought Children of Men should have got the Oscar for this, but understand now why this won. Each shot is beautifully staged, colored and detailed in a way that they cease to be movie shots and become portraits of art.
Guillermo Del Toro really surprised me. Not only did he assemble a surprisingly talented cast, but he was able to make you really connect with the situation. The characters are all well developed and the symbolism, though subtle, is so delicious that it makes me tingle with the thought of it. The dialogue is natural and authentic and he handles the film expertly to convey that timeless feel even through some of the film's harsher moments. You really feel this is a labor of love, since it bears its fruits at every scene. I didn't even mind that I had to read subtitles (which I think Del Toro knew that he would have to use it wisely, since the scenes are designed so you are not distracted reading the text to enjoy the scene).
If I had any complaints, its that some of the visual effect designs were sometimes inferior. They weren't bad, but they had some rough edges that should have been addressed.
I recommend this for anyone who has a strong stomach, an eye for art and a heart. It deserved all its Oscar wins and noms and should have won for its amazing music. This is the new standard for film art for the modern generation.