"Pan's Labyrinth" / "El Laberinto del Fauno" - 12.09.06
For Access Brighton. (Unedited version.)

Pan's Labyrinth takes place in Spain, after the 1944 Civil War has ended. But a guerilla resistance still fights against the Fascists powers, taking their war into the wilderness. At an outpost deep in the mountain forests, young Ofelia arrives with her pregnant mother, who has married the outpost's frightening commander. Here, amid a ancient maze of mossy stone, Ofelia finds her beloved storybook fairy tales coming to life, as her own destiny is put to the test.

The movie unfolds in what might seem to be two wholly disparate worlds - one fraught with the harshness of war and the personal misery of Ofelia's family situation; the other wrapped in moonlight and shadow, filled with both wonder and peril. Yet it is no simple distinction of reality versus fantasy, as the two worlds often overlap each other. Mingling the mundane and the magical, the film creates a deeply convincing sense of a child's perception, but never becomes condescending. Instead, by acknowledging the fantastic and keeping it as darkly complex as "real life," writer/director Guillermo Del Toro draws us into a remarkable experience.

Yet is it not all glittering stardust and happy adventures. Ofelia must complete a series of tasks, which take her to terrifying ordeals among unearthly dangers. And meanwhile, her mother suffers through her pregnancy, and Ofelia's stepfather, the fearsome captain, battles the guerillas. His ruthless cruelty results in some stunningly brutal moments. Although never gratuitous, the violence is often sudden and intense, and made all the more terrible by the captain's coldly matter-of-fact dispensing of it.

One has to take the film on its own terms; this way, the characters are not lacking as one-dimensional sketches, but rather they fulfill the roles and functions of archetypal figures. However, some may find this simplicity too naive, especially as the plot follows the familiar patterns of a fairy tale. Yet Del Toro never veers into formulaic blandness, instead taking the ideas and rhythms of tradition to new light.

Although the film does not rely heavily on flashy special effects, it does present some amazing visuals and startling imagery. Together with the solid cast (particularly Ivana Baquero, the excellent 11-year-old star), the film creates a rich world. Eerily beautiful and starkly grim by turns, Pan's Labyrinth is a bittersweet story, vividly imagined and solidly crafted.