When I first heard about Pan’s Labyrinth I was hesitant to watch it because I honestly thought it was a kid’s movie. I will admit I was completely wrong about that statement. It’s anything but a kid’s movie.
It has two story lines in one which entwine together, it’s a war story and a fairy tale.
It’s an odd mix but it works really well, the story is about a girl called Ofelia during the Spanish Civil war who travels with her heavily pregnant mother to live with Captain Vidal. He’s part of the fascist movement, and is a rather brutal character through out the film. He’s very violent and very cold.
At the beginning of the film, it tells of a fairy tale of a princess who grew tired of living in the labyrinth and wondered onto earth, but she never went back and lived the life of a mortal. So she grew old and eventually died as mere mortals do.
Through out the film, you see all kinds of creatures. The one that stood out the most to me wasn’t the Faun, it was ‘The Pale Man’ which is possibly something along the same lines as a cannibal version of the Child Snatcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
This thing honestly did creep me out, not the fact it saw out of it’s hand but the noises and the way it moved.
I think that’s far more valuable for creatures and monsters, not the look but the way they move and sound. Its so much more effective as the audience can then let the imagination run away with them and see what it is for the selves than rather have it in front of them.
But before she discovers the child eating monster that sees out of it’s hands, she meets Pan; the faun. Who tells her what and what not to do, which in all fairness she should really of listened but if I found a random Faun in my garden telling me to do things I’d probably ignore it.
At first you don’t actually know if he’s good or bad, there’s a few twists and turns that make you wonder.
It has a few strong female characters too which is always good to see since, in the majority of films. Their running around screaming not having a clue what to actually do with them selves. So it’s really good to see a change, by this I’m referring to the character Mercedes. I can honestly say she was epic and gave the Captain what was coming to him. They should put more women like her in films because they’d be far more interesting, at first she seems very frightened and fragile but she’s anything but.
Ofelia is a typical kid, running round, doing things she shouldn’t when it’s not the time or the place and pretty much getting into trouble and letting her actions out before actual thought.
Oddly the best thing I think about the film is the fact it’s in Spanish, obviously it has subtitles or I wouldn’t know what was going on. But because you have to read and watch, it makes you pay so much more attention and appreciate the film more.
It’s one of the best works I’ve seen from Guillermo Del Toro and I’d seriously recommend it. Even if your not into fantasy, see this film. Because it’s not just a fantasy film.
