Film: Pan's Labyrinth
Release date: 19th November 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 120 mins
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Doug Jones
Genre: Drama/Fantasy/History/War
Studio: Optimum
Format: Blu-ray
Country: Spain/USA/Mexico
Often revered as a landmark in contemporary world cinema, as well as establishing Guillermo del Toro as an international artistic force to reckon with, 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth gets a presentational overhaul on Blu-ray courtesy of Optimum Releasing.
Set in Franco’s post-civil war Spain, the film revolves around Ofelia (Ivana Baquero); an 11-year-old girl obsessed with fairytales, much to the chagrin of her heavily pregnant mother Carmen (Ariadna Gill) and her new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Ofelia and her mother are relocated to Vidal’s rural mill-turned-military outpost so that he can be present for the birth of his heir to be.
As Vidal and his troops mop up the last pockets of leftist resistance hiding out in the nearby countryside, Ofelia befriends Mercedes (Maribel Verdú), one of Vidal’s housekeeping staff who’s secretly assisting the rebels, as well as a magical Faun creature (Doug Jones) that resides in a nearby and ancient labyrinth. The Faun informs Ofelia that she is the reincarnation of a lost princess from an underground realm and, in order to return as the kingdom’s heir, must complete three challenges before the next full moon…
Pan’s Labyrinth was very much a labour of love for its director, Guillermo del Toro (perhaps better known by some for helming the Hellboy films), who reportedly turned down multiple offers of lucrative Hollywood capital for fear of it compromising his vision. And while they say that love is blind, the film, though highly accomplished, is not without a few imperfections.
Visually, the film is a master class; the cinematography is assured yet not overly indulgent, gliding though scenes with an interesting mix of majesty and economy. This is further assisted with some very careful editing, using foreground objects such as trees and furniture to wipe from one graceful shot to the next, slipping from reality to fantasy and then back with breathtaking ease. Del Toro’s use of colour, light and, perhaps most importantly, shadow also lends the film further dark visual charm.
Performances are uniformly good, especially Baquero, who proves to be a child actor of incredible potential, and is convincing throughout, even if is the script does infrequently call for her to make some questionable/overly naïve decisions. Supporting roles are also brilliantly textured; Verdú’s Mercedes is executed with a quiet dignity, whilst López makes for a fine antagonist and an effective hate figure thanks to his character’s occasional flashes of sadistic brutality and altogether self-serving attitude. His legacy is all that matters to him, much to the detriment of his wife – a nicely pitched performance by Ariadna Gill; the controversial decision to transport her to the outpost so late in her pregnancy because “a son should be born where his father is.”
Production design is also astounding; from the subterranean labyrinth chamber, to the muddy dwelling of the Toad, to the lavishly haunting corridors and vestibules of the Pale Man’s (also played by Jones) banqueting room. The level of detail on show here should be the rule as opposed to the exception in filmmaking as, in all honesty, Pan’s Labyrinth looks and feels more original than it actually is, mostly because of its dedication to aesthetic.
The film is essentially a gothic fairytale placed in a real world setting that juxtaposes between the two, as Ofelia finds solace from the grim situation that has been thrust upon her. Many staples from that style of storytelling are present - there’s the picturesque, verdant and antiquarian locale, the young girl as protagonist, and wicked stepfather as antagonist. The inclusion of the Faun is a derived from Greek mythology, and the Pale Man’s banquet scene feels like a morality tale in itself about the perils of temptation, or a nod to Eve eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
Del Toro’s skill at being able to blend two seemingly incompatible iconographies – the gothic fantasy and the period war drama respectively – is highly commendable, and is one of the key elements to the film’s overall success. However, it’s interesting and rather surprising how little screen time is actually dedicated to Ofelia’s fantasy adventure (only about a quarter of the film in total) as it is frequently cast aside to further the wartime drama/resistance storyline. On one hand, this serves as a fine and dynamic counterpoint to Ofelia’s fantastical psychosis, placing the narrative in grim and dangerous surroundings, which evokes a quiet and necessary tension, as well as a compelling reason for Ofelia to retreat into such imaginative recesses. On the other hand, there are occasional moments that dwell on this aspect for too long, moving the story perilously close to the usual war/resistance genre pitfalls; personified with the usual self-righteous retorts of “why do you continue putting your life in danger for a lost cause?” and “as long as [insert antagonist’s name] is still in control, we will continue to fight,” etc.
Unfortunately, those who have a solid grasp on fairytale/fable mechanics will likely second-guess certain developments in the plot. There are also some lapses of logic present within the narrative. For instance, Mercedes gives her rebel comrades the only key to the outpost’s food and medical supply store, which they promptly raid. After distracting Vidal and his men by derailing a train, they storm the camp in a very loud and un-covert manner, using the key to access the store, and subsequently leaving the lock unfastened and undamaged - letting Vidal know instantly that there’s a traitor amongst his staff. Seeing as they went in all guns blazing – or did so as they were about to make their escape – they may as well have just forced the lock to avoid suspicion. There are also a couple of missed opportunities to cut short Vidal’s micro-dictatorship that pass by without adequate justification.
Another flaw with the real world aspect of the film is its use of computer assisted violence and blood effects to mixed results. Granted, the film’s occasional moments of brutal violence serve as another necessary counterpoint to the fantasy element of the story – a wakeup call, if you will – but also come across as detached and, at times, strangely unrealistic. The film’s first violent outburst – that showcases Vidal’s uncompromising ruthlessness by stoving in a farmer’s face with the base of a wine bottle – looks particularly false, and is the weak link in an otherwise visually strong piece of filmmaking. It’s a strange creative decision, considering the great effort that’s gone into the other departments, particularly the costume and creature effects, which provide many of the film’s most memorable moments. It’s ironic, and perhaps intentional, that the violent aspects of the real-world plot appear fake and fabricated when compared to the more organic, practical effects utilised in the fantasy-world.
As for the Blu-ray presentation, it’s more than satisfactory. Detail is marvelous, allowing the eyes to revel and fully indulge in the film’s wonderful production design with no noticeable technical faults (macro-blocking, aliasing, etc). Colour reproduction is also fine, and has even improved some of the special effects: the computerized blood, for instance, appears darker that it did on DVD, as does the Toad who lives under the tree, helping them to better assimilate with their live-action surroundings. The surround sound mix is also breathtaking.
Niggles aside, Pan’s Labyrinth deserves the majority of its accolades. A strong, confident opus filled with lush imagery and engaging performances, the film is a minor masterpiece of form – although the content sometimes suffers – and works as an apt showcase for del Toro’s filmmaking talents. Pan’s Labyrinth comes recommended. MP
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