"El Laberinto del Fauno" ("Pan's Labyrinth") is a modern fairy tale - not a neutered Disney story, but rather a violent, very adult tale worthy of the Brothers Grimm.
Written and directed by Guillermo Del Toro, "Pan's Labyrinth" is a completely engrossing ride through both war-torn, rural Spain in 1944 and a magical world filled with fairies, fauns and things that go bump in the night.
The film follows the story of Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero ("Fragiles", "Rottweiler"), as she and her mother go to live with her new stepfather Capitan Vidal, played by Sergi Lopez, ("Peindre ou faire l'amour", "Les Mots bleus"), a commander in Franco's army.
Ofelia soon discovers a magical world hidden around the military base. Her world and the rest of the world lead to two separate story arcs - her journey through the newly discovered world and the war Commander Vidal is waging against some rebels who don't agree with Franco's regime. The two stories parallel each other in interesting ways, and waiting to see how the two worlds will collide next is part of the fun.
Ofelia's adventures lead to some truly astounding visuals that are not generally seen outside of a psychedelic trip. The creatures shown are both completely realistic and yet totally alien at the same time. All of the wondrous characters and settings are so lifelike that it's not hard to sit back and let the world of "Pan's Labyrinth" engulf you.
Ofelia's magical world isn't the only area where special effects shine. Commander Vidal is a rather sadistic fellow and the film isn't shy about showing the results of his brutal actions. The contrast between the fantastic and the fantastically gory only serves to heighten the effect of both as well as make the story seem more realistic.
As much of a contrast as their respected visuals, Baquero and Lopez's performances both shine in their own right. Baquero manages to hold the screen with the charisma of a veteran. She also shows a range that defies her young age.
Lopez's performance is as sadistic and cold as they come. His apparent bloodlust was not only convincing but disturbing. His barely contained rage is almost palpable and adds tension to every scene that he is in.
Unfortunately, not every aspect of "Pan's Labyrinth" stands up to the high standards set by the visual style and acting. The story is rather predictable, as well as somewhat slow in places. Much of the movie was also fairly dark, which is a shame because more light would have given the special effects team more of a chance to show their stuff.
Perhaps the biggest flaw of the film was the subtitles, simply because they hampered the complete suspension of disbelief that the film was aiming for.
Overall, "Pan's Labyrinth" is a film with a compelling storyline and alluring visuals that make it a little easier to believe in magic.
Reach the reporter at: zachary.richter@asu.edu.
