Set in post-civil war northern Spain in 1944, Pan's Labyrinth follows a young girl who resorts to fantasy to cope with her new life. Young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her very pregnant and ill mother travel to the woods to a small military outpost as ordered by her new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Vidal and his men are assigned to protect the woods from a Republican militia. Ofelia is miserable and lonely in her new home, and starts to fashion an imaginary world as a means to escape. As the fighting between the guerillas and the military intensifies, Ofelia's reality and fantasy threaten to collide.
Pan's Labyrinth often feels like you're watching two films. One minute you see Ofelia encountering a giant toad, and in the next scene you see Captain Vidal and his men chasing down some militia men in the woods. It's rather surreal, but the blending between the two worlds works. What's especially interesting is that Del Toro takes a rather ambiguous stance on Ofelia's fantasies. For example, she obtains certain items when she travels to the other world, but it's unclear if she really possesses these items. Even at the very end, the audience is left wondering whether or not everything Ofelia experiences in the fantasy realm really took place. If you've seen the film, especially the ending, I think you'll agree with me in that I'd like to think that her experiences were real.
Del Toro does a fantastic job in directing this film, creating a gloomy, depressing, gritty environment for this unfortunate little girl. Everyone wears muted grays and browns, and the film itself seems to be filmed with a blue lens to enhance the gritty, desolate look of the camp. Even Ofelia's fantasy world looks miserable, with an absence of color. It seems to suggest that Ofelia's reality still seeps through her make-believe world. Some have called Pan's Labyrinth a fairy tale for adults, and I'm inclined to agree with them. In fact, it seems that Del Toro even makes a slight nod to Alice in Wonderland, as Ofelia wears a similar-looking dress with an apron in one scene. However, while Alice's dress was a bright powder blue, Ofelia's dress is a somber black, again addressing the mood of the place.
The cast was great, especially López as the cold-hearted, abusive Captain Vidal. From the moment we first meet the Captain, we know that he's a person not to be messed with. He is unbelievably frightening and cruel, able to shoot a person in the head without blinking an eye. That he is more terrifying than any of the odd monsters Ofelia encounters in her fantasy world is something indeed. It makes we wonder why on earth Ofelia's mother had ever decided to marry him.
Article comments
1 - lydia
"It makes we wonder -"
"we" is not grammatically correct, "us" would perhaps be better.
:)
2 - Cassandra
this movie is a tricky one. marvelous... but tricky. it makes us believe it's a bit fiction, a bit reality, but it's not. that's pure truth. or perhaps the way a child would see truth. the child would see it but wouldn't want to recognise it, cause it's too ugly. so, would dress it up to make it a bit "sweeter". but isn't this what grown-ups do too? do we enjoy our reality or are we trying to make it seem better? we are always strifing to make it better, to hope it will get better. but...after all... aren't we children? most certainly we are. but i'd like to say my opinion more specificaly abouts this charming film and i should get started...
so, 3 things i have to say about the Pan's Labyrinth.
1. our miserable lives are controlled by a lazy frog who is sitting there, intimidating us, making us stay in apathy doing nothing, devouring us, enslaving us to an enless decadence, making us believe he is our ruler. however our weaknesses should be our pawns and not us theirs. if we could finally stand in front of them and face them, we would see them collapse and scatter into dust. all it takes is some wits and faith in ourselves.
2. temptations make us blind. but even blinder we become when we think we will not be tempted. running away from our temptations, our fears, can ruin our lives, and make us live like wanted thieves. the best we have to do is to not need the temptation. for it's always there lurking to see when we shall yield.
3. living our lives devoted to a noble cause, trying to change the world into a beautiful place, believing in other things except for ourselves, that's an important reason for someone to live and try. however, the catch is that the person who will succeed is highly unlikely to enjoy this success. it's a selfsacrificing action who can bring some good in this world.
Pan's Labyrinth is an excellent movie. it will leave you with a bittersweet taste and with lots and lots of thoughts. it's no movie for kids. leave them believe in fairies and faunes.. leave them believe that after death there is a reward, a loving family, a sunny sunday morning...
3 - vivekimmortal
Well I think that the fantasy world is just in Ofelia's dreams because in a seen towards the end when Ofelia is talking to the faun, Captain Vidal comes to the labyrinth while she's still talking to the faun and he doesn't see anything, which proves it I guess.