Terrifying Fantasy

Movie: Pan's Labyrinth

My Rating: 5 stars

I can’t believe I hadn’t written about this movie already.  It’s one of my favorites, and I had already started writing this blog when I saw it.  Perhaps it’s because I saw it in the theater.  I generally keep track of movies I want to write about through my Netflix account.  Anything I watch outside of that, I have to note by hand.  And, sometimes I forget.  Or, maybe this is such a big, important film, that I had assumed I’d already covered it.  Oh well.  Better late than never.

Director Guillermo del Toro is pretty awesome.  He’s got an uncanny understanding of how the fantasy genre works—how it should be equal parts fantastical and grotesque.  This film creates a wonderful, magical world full of fairies, magic spells, wood sprites . . . and some of the most terrifying, hideous monsters you’ve ever seen in your life.  There really are some truly scary moments in this film, and plenty of opportunities for danger.  But then, most fairy tales do too.  It’s funny how we forget just how bloody and violent most of these old children’s stories are.  I think the comparison between this movie and a fairy tale is appropriate because it has essentially the same formula.  A young girl, Ofelia, is going with her mother to live with her new (evil) stepfather.  The story is set during the Spanish Civil War, and her new dad is a high-ranking officer on the side of the bad guys.  (I’m ashamed to say that I’m a little fuzzy on the details of that war).  Plus, this guy is just a nasty guy in general.  In order to escape this chaotic, new family life, and the general hardships caused by the war, Ofelia likes to escape into an elaborate fantasy world, although this new world of hers doesn’t really have any less danger or horrific things in it.  But, I think the key is that in this imaginary world, Ofelia has the tools to over come the forces of evil—a series of magical tasks that only she can complete.  Whereas, in the real world she is powerless.

You really have to see del Toro’s aesthetic to understand it.  He works with such rich colors and exotic sets, and he’s a master of creating totally alien, otherworldly visual effects.  You can’t miss it when you see it elsewhere, like in the Hellboy sequel.  But, the look is so foreign that you can never really feel comfortable in it.  You always feel some menacing danger lurking just around the next corner.  But, this makes for a pretty exciting viewing experience.  You really don’t want to skip this movie.  Although, it’s been out so long that chances are, you’ve already seen it.  But, if you haven’t, please accept my endorsement.