Pan’s Labyrinth
Film Muser Rating : 5 / 5
Release Date : December 29, 2006
Running Time : 119 minutes
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Pan’s Labyrinth is set in 1944 Spain, immediately following the Spanish Civil War. The film follows a young girl Ofelia, as she deals with the volatile environment she is forced to live in after her mother re-marries a captain in General Francisco Franco’s Nationalist army. Ophelia’s life is surrounded with despair as fascist and guerrilla soldiers engage in bloody battles around her, causing her to plunge herself deep into a fantasy that gives her hope of escaping the harsh reality that she is part of.
Even though this film is told as a fairy tale, it is far from being a children’s movie. Pan’s Labyrinth is extremely dark and graphic, with some haunting scenes that can make even the most hardened movie goer cringe. The film shows the harsh violence that continued following the Spanish Civil War, while the scenes in the fantasy world depict disturbing images that act as a metaphor for what was happening throughout Spain.
Despite its dark mood, the film is shot beautifully, especially in the fantasy scenes. I found myself completely enthralled as I sat on my couch watching this movie. As Ofelia performs her trials in the fantasy world to prove she is the “true princess”, these tense and frightening scenes had me clenching my fists as I truly felt unsettled.
The performances in Pan’s Labyrinth are especially good from Sergi Lopez who plays Captain Vidal. He comes off as an extremely cruel and ruthless soldier who genuinely believes in the cause he is fighting for. As he performs one cold act after another, he shows no remorse and continues on with his mission of ridding Spain of any of the remaining leftist rebels. Eleven year old Ivana Baquero is convincing as the young Ofelia who, despite the bleak life she finds herself in, finds a way to provide herself with a sense of hope. As a viewer, you can’t help but share in her desperation to to do whatever it takes to get herself out of her bitter reality, finding the courage to face the terrifying trials she is given to complete.
This is easily one of the best movies I have seen in the last year, and I can’t help but recommend everyone to see it. With the powerful story, strong acting, beautiful cinematography, and the fact that is is now available on DVD, there is no reason not to see this film. Pan’s Labyrinth does an exquisite job of showing us how cruel life can be, and how imagination can give everyone hope.
Memorable Scene
Early in the film we are given hints that Captain Vidal is a brutal soldier, but this is fully realized when his men capture a father and son accused of being part of the guerrilla insurgency. As Vidal questions the two on their activities, his impatience with them grows, and his reaction is both barbarous and inhumane. It is truly an upsetting scene.
Note: this movie is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
Saw this last night - excellent movie. Agree with your review with one exception - I would say this is a children’s movie. Dark and graphic but so what?
There’s no way that this is a children’s movie. First off, they would completely miss what it is actually about, and secondly, it IS too graphic. It’s not your typical “blow up or getting machine gunned” type images.
What are you considering a child?
When I was a kid I would have liked this movie. The story a kid would get from this is ‘the adventures of a kid who is in a difficult situation - both in the “real world” and the “fantasy world”, and the lesson they should take is about being selfless’.
What is going to happen to a child when they see graphic and dark images of how terrible violence can be? Don’t you think it is more damaging when people are “blown up and machine gunned” and this isn’t made to be an uncomfortable feeling?
Maybe not a 5 or 6 year old but I would have no problem recommending for 12 and older or there abouts.
Did you see the violent movies of the day when you were a kid? Don’t say no either because I probably saw them with you. I say if it is OK for an adult it is OK for a kid.
There are exceptions for sure that shouldn’t see this stuff for various reasons - but that goes for kids and adults.