REVIEW: Pan's Labyrinth · 22 January 07

I could not resist seeing this film given the buzz it generated at Cannes and the barrage of rave reviews for it. This film has been in the theaters since December but only in limited release. I finally got the opportunity to see it last Friday night. I bring this up because I feel the anticipation for the film may have ruined some of the experience for me.

Where to begin? The cinematography and art direction were first rate. I left with lasting impressions of a few key scenes that still haunt me. The acting from young actress Ivana Baquero was simply amazing. The villain in this film is easily one of the most heinous characters ever seen before. Really, he’s that awful.

El Labertino del Fauno is not really a fairy tale that the trailer makes it out to be though. It is a morbid film and one that leaves you with a sunken heart. Director Guillermo del Toro chose to bookend his other recent film, The Devil’s Backbone, with this one. Both films are set during the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. More of a war piece than fantasy, this film rivals Saving Private Ryan for detail and gore. Like Children of Men, the action sequences really impressed me with excellent sound design and realism.

I am rarely one to cringe during films, but Pan’s Labyrinth had me looking away a few times. Here in lies what I feel is a fault with the film. There is a point where the director’s vision gets mired by his love for shock value. I feel as though I lost respect for the film during a few scenes due to the over the top violence. I realize that it was not a pleasant time in Spain, and that Francisco Franco’s henchmen were not the nicest of people but do we really need to see how far they went in a supposed “fantasy” piece?

All in all I loved the film and recommend it for anyone who enjoys leaving the theater with a strong impression of a film in his or her mind. I saw this movie with a few friends and we were all talking about it while leaving the theater.

Go see it!