Pan's Labyrinth Review

So our first task is to write a film review on a non-English, subtitled film. I chose to review Pan’s Labyrinth, a dark fantasy film from Guillermo Del Toro, Mexican director of Hellboy and The Orphanage (El Orfanato).

Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) follows the story of Ofelia, a young girl living in 1940s Fascist Spain who loves nothing more than to be swept into a fairytale, despite her pregnant mother, Carmen, telling her she is too old for stories now. When sent to live with her Mother’s new husband, the ruthless Captain Vidal, Ofelia meets a mystical faun who tells her she is in fact the reincarnation of Moanna, princess of the Underworld and to return to the magical realm “where there are no lies or pain,” she must complete three tasks to prove she has not become mortal.
     Often cited as a “fairy story for adults,” Pan’s Labyrinth juxtaposes the dark sides of reality and imagination, using gruesome imagery and references to tragic events such as the mountain of children’s shoes in the corner of the dining hall belonging to the grotesque ‘Pale Man,’ which could be an allusion to the Holocaust. Attention to details such as Captain Vidal’s broken pocket watch also seem to comment on society.
   Although Ofelia’s innocence and naivety is compelling and her courage in the end admirable, I did not feel that many of the characters were particularly likeable. However, they are well developed and complex. The fact that we follow Ofelia as she makes mistakes but also learns from them, helps the audience build empathy for her and, ultimately, Pan’s Labyrinth is a tale of a young girl’s journey to find her true identity- a theme explored time and time again over the years in both literature and film, however, Del Toro’s dark twist and use of vivid imagery and contrast give the story a fresh edge.
       The opening scene uses blue and grey hues, immediately setting up the gloomy and cold atmosphere in the film, however, this soon gives way to warm, autumnal shades of the ancient realm imagery adding a magical feel. The sparkling forest with the sun streaming through the trees is a beautiful visual which really adds to the fairytale element and Del Toro uses a wonderful range of close up shots to help add mystery and a major part of the success of the film is his use of contrast. In pace, there is enough time to take in the beautiful cinematography and for the characters to develop- for example, the slow turning of the fairytale book pages when Ofelia’s mother is first introduced- but this is juxtaposed with fast paced sections such as the terrifying, child-eating ‘Pale Man’ which adds excitement and prevents the film from becoming predictable.
     The juxtaposition of reality and imagination, along with dark and light, is cleverly done with negative traits portrayed in both. The ‘monsters’ of the Underworld are reflected in the ‘real’ world through the well-played, cruel Captain Vidal. The final sequence- which cyclically returns to the opening scene- begs the question is it better to live in a world of fantasy, even if nobody else does? The ending could be seen as ambiguous and allows a number of interpretations which I feel makes this an almost universal film.

            Overall, I think that Pan’s Labyrinth is a beautifully made film with striking and haunting imagery which updates the traditional fairytales that have been a staple of all our childhoods. I like the fact that, like many traditional meanings of fairytales, this film explores the darker side of human nature and delves into audience’s imaginations, providing a feast for the eyes.

I think I would rate Pan’s Labyrinth: 4/5  :)