aka El Laberinto del Fauno
Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro
Now, if you’ve seen The Devils Backbone (and you really should have done by now) then you know what to expect, as Pans Labyrinth is very much the sister film to that one.
This time however, rather than being set in a boys boarding school, the film follows the path of a young girl called Ofelia.
She and her heavily pregnant mother, are going to live with Oielia’s step father, Capitán Vidal. Played by Sergi López, Vidal is an extremely strict and ruthless man. His mission is to route out the left wing fighters hiding in the forests of Northern Spain and nothing is going to get in the way of him achieving that goal. One scene in particular, where he questions two local hunters suspected of being in cahoots with the revolutionaries, had me reaching for the DVD box to double check the rating (15), as it’s incredibly graphic and bloody.
Shortly after moving to the forest barracks, Ofelia discovers a labyrinth taking her to a secret fantasy world. Where she encounters Pan, the faun. He tells her that she is secretly the lost princess of the underworld and in order to regain entry, she has to complete a series of three challenges.
This is another fairy tale that’s strictly for grown ups. Both the real and imagined world are full of dark brutal characters, and the on-screen violence really does push the limits of a 15 rated film. While we’re never fully sure whether Ofelia’s fantasy world is anything more than the imagination of an over active young girl, it’s very easy to suspend disbelief and become fully absorbed in the film.
As spell binding as a movie possibly can be, Pan’s Labyrinth is an essential addition to anyone that loves films
Can Guillermo del Toro make a bad movie? Doesn’t seem like it so far.