A Gothic Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2016)

Playing moments of true wonderment off scenes of sadistic brutality, Guillermo del Toro has created an epithet for classical fairy tales reminiscent of the traditional stories which amazed - yet simultaneously frightened - children.
Del Toro offers us two worlds through the perspective of young Ofelia. The first - reality - is the cruelty of Franco's Spain; where Ofelia is whisked away to her sadistic step-father (played brilliantly by Sergi Lopez) who is attempting to root out the last remnants of the Republic. The second - fantasy - is the underground kingdom - or more precisely the promise of such a world - as Ofelia must complete three tasks for the beautifully constructed faun in order to prove her worth of being a part of such a utopia. What elevates Pan's Labyrinth above other fantasises, however, is the fact that its reality sequences are just as intriguing as its fantasy elements - a rare feat - and the two meld together perfectly.
For instance, the faun may offer interestingly ambiguous revelations about Ofelia's destiny, but only if she follows his orders. Yet he doesn't necessarily mean what he says, and the presence of the Fascists in Ofelia's reality suggests that blindly following orders is the complete opposite of what she should do. So, while there are trips into the magical world (including a disturbing yet inherently memorable scene with the hieronymus bosch-like spectre known as the 'Pale Man') they do not overwhelm the film.
The true horror and the meat of the story lies in Falangist Spain with the menacing Captain Vidal, who takes delight in torture - ritually preparing his tool kit and reciting his own speech to demoralise his victims - and who is equally obsessed with the continuation of his bloodline. The fantasy world is indeed where Ofelia's lessons are learned so that she may confront the terrors of reality; the most important of which being the need for courageous disobedience in the face of extreme oppression. Pan's Labyrinth therefore successfully and perfectly captures the essence of classical children's literature; combining fantasy with moments of horror, all with an underlying and ultimately crucial message which we must take head of in reality. The final scene is also a true whopper; with a killer of a send-off line and an ambiguous ending which still fuels debates to this day.
Thankfully, del Toro uses CGI sparingly, although it is very obvious when it is used (particularly in the case of the giant toad) but this doesn't detract from the film's overall brilliance. It's dark, at times disturbing, but nevertheless beautiful, a true Gothic tale if there ever was one.