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It is 1944 in Spain. A small contingent of Spanish soldiers under the command of Capt. Vidal (Sergi Lopez) mans an outpost near the mountains to rout the insurgents fighting the Fascist government of Franco. Capt. Vidal’s pregnant wife Carmen (Adriana Gil) arrives at the camp with her eleven year old daughter Ofelia (Ivana Bquero). Fond of reading fairytales and creating her own, Ofelia thinks herself to be the embodiment of the spirit of the lost princess of the underworld Realm. She is friendly to creatures of the wild like the large mantis – like insect whom she thinks transforms into a fairy. With her “fairy” guide she explores nearby, an ancient stone labyrinth where one can easily get lost. She meets a fawn who instructs her on how she can return to her Kingdom. While Ofelia communes with these woodland creatures, she also witnesses the violence and death during the war in the world of men. In the camp is Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) the housekeeper of Vidal and an informer of the rebels. The 2 women develop a special relationship when Ofelia’s mother dies. In danger of being unmasked, Mercedes leaves camp with Ofelia but both are caught. In the meantime, Ofelia has nearly completed the tasks assigned by the fawn.
Pan’s Labyrinth (in Spanish with English subtitles) reveals the masterful touch of Guillermo del Toro as director and writer. This is especially evident in the clever handling of the complicated story that adeptly interweaves the world of reality with the world of fantasy. So seamless is the integration that one may easily suspend one’s disbelief in fairies and the like. The title may suggest a fairytale but this is not a tale of joy, light and happy-ever-afters. Though spellbinding this dark tale is full of painful anguish and is steeped in vivid, raw details of brutality and cruelty; all these are emphasized by the dominant use of greys, sepia and muted black and white images. Guillermo Navarro’s expert cinematography has also captured the quiet, wild beauty of the unsullied woodlands which when juxtaposed with the violent war scenes brings out effectively the contrast and the irony between the two worlds depicted. Eugenio Caballero’s production design is imaginative and the prosthetics and make-up, very good. The story is replete with symbolism. Character development goes hand in hand with plot development. Thus, as the story darkens Vidal becomes more evil. The deliberate repetition of scenes emphasizes character traits. Lead actors do excellent work, To be commended, too, is the rest of the cast. There is judicious choice of music pieces, such as the lullaby theme song that sets the somber mood.
Much as one admires the craftsmanship of Pan’s Labyrinth, one can also be dismayed by the negative values of the film. In a war picture (and this is one, though it has fairytale elements), one may assume there is violence and death, but this picture accentuates the inhumanity and cruelty of man vs. another, especially in the gruesome torture scenes and the killing of the wounded. Oppression and injustice are depicted in the restriction of the villagers, subjecting them to rationing of food and medicine. Then there is the unjust murder of the innocent (rabbit hunter) on mere suspicion. Though one can understand the doctor’s motives, mercy killing is still killing. Little value is placed on human life in the film. Vidal says that if a choice has to be made between his wife and his son, he wants his son saved at all costs. But this is not moral. The wife’s life is as valuable as that of the son’s. Effort should have been exerted to save both. However, some positive values are shown by the love between Ofelia and her mother Carmen. Though sick, Carmen shows understanding of her daughter’s imaginative nature and tries to guide her. The admirable courage of Mercedes and others who work in enemy territory calls the mind our own resistance workers in World War II. This adult fairytale is a parable that resonates with Christian undertones as it depicts the battle between good and evil. It shows that conscience (verbalized by the doctor) is the best weapon against fascism or any ideology that violates human dignity and rights. The film suggests that strength and redemption comes through sacrifice and love. Rated R-18, this film can be traumatic for the very young.
(Date Reviewed: 27 April 2007)
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