September 27, 2006
Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece of fantasy and war is, quite possibly, the best movie of the year.
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Rating: 10/10
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
Runtime: 112 minutes
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Rating: 10/10
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
Runtime: 112 minutes
1944 - following the end of the Spanish Civil War. A young girl travels with her pregnant mother to a military outpost in the northern Spanish countyside. The soldiers at the outpost are tasked with wiping the last survivors of a group of anti-Fascist rebels. The mother looks through the girl's stack of books, fairy tales, and and comments that she is too old for such things, and would she please call the Captain father - "it's such a small word".And thus opens Pan's Labyrinth, or more appropriately El Laberinto del Fauno, quite possibly the best movie of the year. While Del Toro has garnered mainstream success from films like Blade 2, Hellboy, and Mimic, it's clear that this movie bears more in common with The Devil's Backbone, and is from his heart. This is the film he sweat for, bled for, and reportedly lost 80 pounds working on. And this is his masterpiece.
It's hard to say what has the greater effect - the brutally realistic depictions of post-war fascist oppression, or the magically dark fantasy sequences. The two blend together under del Toro's masterful hand to become more than the sum of their parts.
It would be a true crime to reveal much more of the film to you. You have to experience it for yourself. The film touches you on so many levels it may take some time to digest everything. The beauty of the movie is that you want to spend that time with it. I had planned to screen another film following this one, but I had to pass - I refused to leave the world del Toro had created for me. From start to finish, this film holds your attention, drawing you in and capturing you in a world both harsh and magical.
There are three performances in this film worthy of special attention. Sergi López, as the Captain, gives us one of the most unapologetically sadistic villians ever seen in film. Doug Jones brings a commanding physical presence to his roles as both the Faun and the Pale Man (his dialogue is dubbed, though you'd never know it). And Ivana Baquero is captivating as the scared young girl who might just be something more . . .
Pan's Labyrinth teaser Med-Res
Pan's Labyrinth teaser Hi-Res
Official Website with additional trailer