Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) movie review

Pan's Labyrinth movie review - Directed by Mexican film director Guillermo Del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth is set in the Franco-ist regime of Spain. A Spain that is crushed under the authoritarian rule of General Franco and a civil war. The film revolves around the magical and haunting adventures of a young girl in Spain being raised by a ruthless Franco and a submissive mother. You must watch or buy Pan’s Labyrinth because it is a deeply moving, dark tale about fascism and loss of innocence.

Director of Pan’s Labyrinth: Guillermo Del Toro

Cast of Pan’s Labyrinth: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil and Sergi Lopez

Language: Spanish

Genre: Drama, Fantasy and Mystery

Awards: Three Oscars for art direction, cinematography and make-up.

Pan’s Labyrinth movie Trivia – Pan's Labyrinth received twenty two minutes of applause at the Cannes film festival.

Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the best Fantasy films of this decade of the 21^st century. Rife with strong political themes, the movie beautifully incorporates the genre of fantasy to create a metaphorical allegory on war, and, seamlessly stitch the world of fantasy and innocence with the world of war and violence. Here are 5 reasons why you should watch Pan's Labyrinth.

1. Spell-binding visuals of Pan's Labyrinth

As a story the film demands powerful visuals and Pan’s Labyrinth delivers this need flawlessly. The lead protagonist of the film, Ofelia is a young girl who along with her mother is forced to stay with her step father – A nefarious captain of the Spanish Franco army, in the conflict torn country side of Spain. Enchanted by fairy tales, Ofelia tries to escape her brute reality by embarking upon a fascinating and an equally terrifying adventure full of fairies, fauns and monsters. As the story unfolds, Ofelia finds herself deeply entangled within this web of fantasies and no longer is she or the viewer capable of drawing a line between the fantastical and the real world. This juxtaposition between the real and the magical is wonderfully presented by the visuals and the brilliant cinematography of Pan’s Labyrinth.

2. Excellent character development in Pan's Labyrinth

The characters in Pan’s Labyrinth have been portrayed brilliantly by the film-makers. Each character stands out distinctly with his/her own specific traits and personalities. The wicked Step Father’s character is sketched out perfectly to present a parallel with the monsters that exist in the world of fantasies. In contrast to this fierce image, Ofelia’s character dressed in frilled frocks and sandals represent the significance of innocence and hope in this narrative.

3. Strong Political themes

Pan’s Labyrinth is effused with a trenchant political message. The film is conspicuously inscribed with a strong anti-war and anti-fascist message. The dialogues, the plot, the visuals and the characters all seek to highlight the importance of questioning political regimes and rules while simultaneously revealing the horrors that can explode due to the blind following of an ideology.

4. Pan's Labyrinth's portrayal of the emotional aspect of war

Pan’s Labyrinth is a heart-rending tale about finding hope and innocence in times of war. It is about making the right choices no matter what the consequences are. Despite the graphic violence and brutality, it narrates one of the most poignant stories about a child struggling to find meaning in a violent adult world. Not only will it leave you in tears by the end but it is a film that will make you stare endlessly in awe at the screen while the end credits roll by.

5. Background score of Pan's Labyrinth

The background score for Pan’s Labyrinth is perfectly in sync with the larger narrative of the story. The haunting and mesmerizing background music would remind one of the magical fables and folklores that were narrated to us as a child. A lullaby that is sung to Ofelia by her care-taker is used as the main theme for the background score. The tune for this lullaby, in its absolute simplicity and beauty, stands out as one of the most striking feature of this film.

Roger Ebert’s Pan’s Labyrinth movie review

"Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the greatest of all fantasy films, even though it is anchored so firmly in the reality of war"

Source: Roger Ebert