Deep In the forest, get lost in a magical fantasy world. Pan’s Labyrinth is an instant classic fantasy story that everyone should witness. The film is directed by Guillermo Del Toro (The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy) and is by far his best work yet. He does have a shot to top himself with the upcoming The Hobbit, but that’s yet to be seen obviously. Pan’s Labyrinth was nominated for Best Foreign Film in 2006 and has earned an impressive 8.4/10 on IMDB. I really don’t want to give away too much information here so I’m going to keep the description somewhat short. Anyways, the film is set in a fascist 1944’s Spain and opens to the main star (Ofelia) and her mother being escorted to a secluded part of the forest. On the way, Ofelia’s mother encounters pregnancy complications that force them to stall their journey. During the complications of her mother, Ofelia wanders off on a side-path of the woods and encounters what she believes to be a fairy. Just a few short moments in the film the viewers are thrust into a mysterious and dark fantasy world, like how every good fantasy story should begin. Carmen, Ofelia’s mother, just recently married the very cruel Captain Vidal and that being the reason why she and her daughter must relocate to the Spanish base set in the middle of the woods. You learn quickly to despise Captain Vidal. The story really does a great job of setting up a villain that you just love to hate; everything from his arrogance and antics to his abusive nature.
From here I’ll keep the details pretty shallow. Ofelia is followed by the fairy to the house is now currently resides at. From there, she is led into an ancient and abandoned labyrinth. Inside is introduced to the dark and imaginative world of Guillermo Del Toro. But not only is she introduced and sucked into this world, so are the viewers. The adventure that lies ahead for both Ofelia and us is one that is truly adventurous and unique.
Although I don’t consider this to be the best fantasy story ever told, not by a long shot, Pan’s Labyrinth certainly can hold its own against some of the bigger names out there. The movie is currently ranked #68 on IMDB top 250 and I have to agree with its position. It’s one of the best films of the 2000’s. Everything from the physical setting to the dialog to the style and visuals of some the creatures encountered Pan’s Labyrinth delivers on all fronts. This movie is a must-see for any fan of the fantasy genre. The film, however, is in Spanish so unless you’re fluent, turn on the subtitles (NO DUBS). If you’re a DVD collector, it’s a must buy. Go see.
(Out of 5)
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