Brilliant idea, painful delivery system

Rating: 6/10 (17 May 2017)

I was touched by this movie when I first saw it in 2008. In many ways I was younger back then. I thought to myself tonight - "I'm up for some fantasia fun with the Faun and Ofelia et al". What I got instead was a rather landlocked affair, and the fairy tale I wanted just wasn't there in enough strength.
The fairy tale concept in this movie is truly inspired, the girl feeling displaced in a troubled world and poor personal circumstances, stands to become a princess, if she can just pass the tests. The historical backdrop and the art house feel are perfect for this and the fairy tale is very compelling, it really manages to pack the required dark severity. The scene in the pale mans cavern with the banquet is truly masterful. Points also must be given for the ending, it did manage to make me feel at least some of what it promised I could. Thanks gang!
But from there on it fails...
Usually with these kinds of stories, the dangers are overcome by the heroine's exhibiting moral qualities that are the real message of the movie. In Pans Labyrinth, the real message of the movie is instead a gruelling lecture about fascism thrust upon us in the real world, quite apart from Ofelia's quest (are we wrong to question Del Toro's casting the communists as sainted warriors?). Just about all of the characters apart from those involved in the fairy tale are pretty loathsome, say nothing of "the Captain" who is one of the most unbelievable villains you will ever see. He really is boring, and he's in it all the way. It's not an exaggeration to say that the movie is about this sad irredeemable bastard. Even our heroine has no effect on him, in every scene Del Toro is saying "don't you hate him? hate him now! he's a baddie!'
Baquero, the Faun and the fairy tale save this movie from being a disaster. My only criticism of Baquero's role is that (I read this as a rumor, and it seems to fit) the role seemed to be suited for a younger girl, I sensed the script wasn't quite complex enough for her age. She would have landed the material had she been given it, she played her part very well. I absolutely love the way she is visibly tempted by the feast and waives the fairies off in the underground cavern to make her fated mistake.
So over all, it was in Del Toro's grasp to make a truly great dark fairy tale, with an ending so good you are transported to another world, but I can't really say that's what this is. After his moment of genius, he can't stay on the path, and the result is a bit hard to take. He was like Ofelia in the cavern of the pale man - eats his own forbidden fruit for no reason (or for whatever reason), and we're all forced to wince it out.
I give this 7 because the fairy tale really is quite intriguing, the rest was painful and predictable.