Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
by Guillermo Del Toro
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Ariadna Gil, Doug Jones, Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdu, Sergi LopezDirector: Guillermo Del Toro
Brand: NEW Line Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 119 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-15
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: N10887
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- AC-3; Closed-captioned; Color; Dolby; DTS Surround Sound; DVD; Special Edition; Subtitled; Widescree
Movie Reviews of Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
Movie Review: An A-maze-ing Story
Summary: 5 Stars
There are many words one can use to describe Guillermo Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" ("El Laberinto del Fauno" in the native Spanish): imaginative; dark; disturbing; heartfelt; violent; mature; intriguing. The one word I prefer is "original." This has to be one of the most amazing films I've seen this year; it's a well-crafted sight and sound fantasy that keeps a firm grip on the audience (despite having to read English subtitles). The characters are emotionally connective. The settings are a mixture of the mysterious, the drab, and the vibrant. The story is engaging. The makeup and special effects are creative. Everything about this film is indicative of an active imagination, which is a nice departure from the slew of unimaginative rehashes that have recently been released.
The ads for this film have one critic saying that it's a fairy tale for grownups. I definitely agree with that; to say that this story isn't for children would be a massive understatement. This is not a sugarcoated fable of handsome princes, beautiful princesses, and happily ever afters, nor will true love's kiss awaken a fair maiden. This is a heavy-handed tale of discovery, and it includes a number of moments that some may find difficult to watch, such as shootings, torture, a near miscarriage, and needless deaths. While such material may turn some viewers off, I still think it's worth seeing. It was quite a refreshing experience, especially since a number of cliched fairy tale elements are put aside. Del Toro succeeded in creating his own fairy tale, one that's incredibly dark yet undeniably effective.
The plot is actually a meshing of two distinct stories, both of which are connected by Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), an adolescent girl of surprising character. Taking place in 1944 Spain, the first story tells of how post-war fascism is at its height, and how a repressive military faction led by Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez) threatens to destroy a group of rebels hiding within the mountains. Vidal is a cold, ruthless individual who demands loyalty and has absolutely no patience for those who oppose him. He'll gladly kill innocent people if it gets him one step further to victory. No one dares second-guess his methods, not his officers, and definitely not his servants.
Moving from the city to join Vidal at his rural estate are Ofelia and her mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), who has recently wed Vidal and is pregnant with his child. Ofelia is clearly not ready to adapt to her new life, despite her mother's continuous pleas for cooperation. When she first meets her stepfather, she offers him to shake her left hand. He callously grabs it and says, "It's the other hand, Ofelia." Within the scope of the narrative, the film's main villain is established right then and there; it's obvious from such a tense introduction that their relationship will only go downhill, especially since she's aware of how distant he is towards her mother. It doesn't help that Carmen's pregnancy is getting increasingly difficult; she's frequently in pain, making her too weak to fully engage in her new life. Vidal's doctor, Ferreiro (Alex Angulo), warned him about moving his wife during such a delicate time, but Vidal insists that his son (somehow everyone knows that Carmen is having a boy) should be born near his father. He makes it very clear that his baby comes first, not his wife.
Ofelia soon befriends Vidal's maid, Mercedes (Maribel Verdu), who's secretly helping the rebels by giving them rations of food. Her brother, Pedro (Roger Casamajor), is among them, and they both understand that their chances of overthrowing Vidal's reign are slim. But they continue to fight, even when one of them is captured and subjected to torture.
Meanwhile, Ofelia is having some interesting experiences, which brings me to the second story that's being told. When she first arrives at Vidal's estate, she finds a stone with an engraving of an eye. She sees that it's the missing piece of an engraved statue; upon reinserting the piece, a mysterious cricket hybrid emerges from its mouth. It continuously reappears throughout the film, and it eventually morphs itself into a fairy-like creature. It also serves as Ofelia's guide, leading her to a stone labyrinth at the back of the estate. In the center is a staircase leading to an underground lair. There she meets a faun (Doug Jones), a tall, fantastical creature with branch-like legs and a quasi-elfin face. He tells her that she's actually the mortal reincarnation of Princess Moanna, who was drawn to the sunlight and born as a human. In order for her to return to her own kingdom, she must complete three tasks, all of which are outlined in a special book provided by the faun.
Thus begins Ofelia's quest for her true identity, highlighted by journeys into otherworldly realms. Her first task takes her to the roots of a dying fig tree, where a gigantic toad resides. She must retrieve a golden key from its belly. Her second task takes her into a room with a sumptuous feast, none of which she's allowed to eat. If she takes so much as a bite, a monstrous creature with eyes in its hands will awaken. She must also complete the task in a given length of time. Her third task I won't mention; it comes late in the film, and describing it will give too much away. Let's just say that she must make a decision, one that will affect her chances of returning to her kingdom.
I was initially puzzled as to how these two separate narratives would be able to work together. One is very much rooted in reality, and it deals with difficult issues. The other is rooted in fantasy, relying on imaginary circumstances in order to exist. But as the film progressed, I came to see that the first story serves as a backdrop for Ofelia's journey. She repeatedly says that she's unhappy in Vidal's home; that she wants to go away and never return. Only a world filled with anger, hatred, and repression--a world Ofelia lives in--would instill such feelings. It is said that Princess Moanna's kingdom is one with no pain or sadness, qualities which are clearly preferable to the hardships of a mortal existence.
"Pan's Labyrinth" doesn't use the fantasy genre as a way to reinforce the classic Hero's Journey, nor is it used to tell a simple Good vs. Evil fable; rather, it's used to provide an escape for a lonely young girl who longs for a place to call her own. Despite the fact that Ofelia loves her mother, despite finding a friend in Mercedes, it's obvious that she's not meant to be among the world of mortals. Her soul is free. Her mind is expansive. Her heart is light. I loved these aspects of "Pan's Labyrinth" as much as I loved del Toro's sense of creativity. This is a truly original film, and I hope future fantasy films will be made just as well.
Summary of Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
PAN'S LABYRINTH:SPECIAL EDITION - DVD MovieInspired by the Brothers Grimm, Jorge Luis Borges, and Guillermo del Toro's own unlimited imagination, Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale for adults. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) may only be 12, but the worlds she inhabits, both above and below ground, are dark as anything del Toro has conjured. Set in rural Spain, circa 1944, Ofelia and her widowed mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil, Belle Epoque), have just moved into an abandoned mill with Carmen's new husband, Captain Vidal (Sergi López, With a Friend like Harry). Carmen is pregnant with his son. Other than her sickly mother and kindly housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú, Y Tu Mamá También), the dreamy Ofelia is on her own. Vidal, an exceedingly cruel man, couldn't be bothered. He has informers to torture. Ofelia soon finds that an entire universe exists below the mill. Her guide is the persuasive Faun (Doug Jones, Mimic). As her mother grows weaker, Ofelia spends more and more time in the satyr's labyrinth. He offers to help her out of her predicament if she'll complete three treacherous tasks. Ofelia is willing to try, but does this alternate reality really exist or is it all in her head? Del Toro leaves that up to the viewer to decide in a beautiful, yet brutal twin to The Devil's Backbone, which was also haunted by the ghost of Franco. Though it lacks the humor of Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth represents Guillermo Del Toro at the top of his considerable game. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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