El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth (2 DVDs))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	Pan's Labyrinth (2 DVDs)
Date:	26/03/08 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Visually arresting, wonderful plot...

Disadvantages: Hollywood-esque ending, subtitles will alienate some...

Note: review was written for Freeola in 2006, thanks!

Guillermo Del Toro has always been a director with a vision. Even Hellboy, which I found decidedly average, had a unique visual style, and has clear led onto bigger and better things with his latest effort - El Laberinto Del Fauno, or for us - Pan's Labyrinth.

The basic plot is that in war-torn Spain, as guerrilas rise up against the authority, a young girl by the name of Ofelia is drawn into a fantasy world, where a faun offers her the title of princess if she can complete three goals for him. Set against this back-drop of warring Spain, the film cuts between Ofelia's journey, and the events surrounding her family, including the brash general, who is her step-father.

To say that Pan's Labyrinth is a treat is an understatement. I went in with fairly high expectations following the positive press it recieved, and unlike many films in 2006, it didn't disappoint. It took a while to build, sure, but once it did, it firmly delivered a rollercoaster ride that leaves you on the edge of your seat many times.

My only real worry with the film is that the advertising makes the film almost appear aimed at children, and believe me, it isn't. The violence, whilst not gratuitous, is abundant, and fairly graphic. Now, whilst children obviously won't be admitted to this 15-rated film, I'm concerned that plenty of people will dismiss this brilliant film as a kid's film, and thereby it will be largely ignored. There is a glimmer of hope, though, that its Golden Globe nomination will prevent this.

As I already stated, Guillermo Del Toro is if not anything else, an adept visual director. The style here cannot be faulted - it's very unique looking, from the lush Spanish landscapes, to the terrifying monsters that plague the labyrinth. This really helps to bring the viewer into Del Toro's world, and become absorbed in this utterly enthralling tale.

The acting on display is also top-notch. The cast will be largely unknown by English-speaking audiences, but Sergi Lopez does a great job as Ofelia's brutal stepfather, and the 11-year-old (at the time of shooting) Ivana Baquero also does surprisingly well as the young heroine. Doug Jones, whose name may be slightly more familiar to people, brings to life the terrifying monsters brilliantly, just as he did for Abe Sapien in Del Toro's "Hellboy".

Another issue worth noting is that the film is in Spanish. We still live in an age and culture where people tend to be put off by subtitles, and this again may be a reason why this film may underperform at the box office, which would be a terrible shame. The subtitling, on another note, is actually some of the best I've seen, in that it's in bright yellow, rather than the irritating white, which can sometimes clash with the screen and render the text invisible.

The only real disappointment I can acredit to the film is the ending. I daren't spoil a second of the film, but everything was coming together very nicely, and then a Hollywood-esque ending is dropped in at the last second, ruining what would have made the film a 10/10 production possibly. Still, the ending wasn't horrendous - it's just marred slightly by what was added in.

Needless to say, Pan's Labyrinth is one of the better films I viewed in 2006. Ranking up there with Brick, The Departed and The Prestige, it's a thrilling story that's dilligently crafted by Del Toro in a way rarely seen today. Whilst unforgivingly brutal at times, it's also heart-wrenchingly sad at others, truly documenting the desparation of people pushed into corners and fighting for what they believe in. It's well worth a watch, and in a year that's had a share of good films, Pan's Labyrinth surfaces among the best.

Summary: A thrilling return to form for Del Toro...