Pan’s Labyrinth- A Genuine Masterpiece
I often point to ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ as a very important and
influential film for me, it was a film I watched at an age way too young to
fully understand but also a film that I had the pleasure of studying for my
A-Level Film class. It has been a film I’ve revisited several times and this
very review is something I’ve attempted to write several times due to how hard
it is to write about a film I consider to be genuinely perfect. Guillermo Del
Toro’s harrowing fairy-tale of a girl amidst a revelation discovering a fantastical
world to hide from the horrors of her own world is a sweeping masterpiece that I
struggle to fault.
The concept of the film is simple yet layered with substance.
Set in Spain, 1994, Del Toro works with a fascinating binary to the film’s
world, the layer between fantasy and reality is blurred and played with in a
feat of precision. The plot feels separated, on one hand, we witness Ophelia
discovering this fantasy world and go through several trials to realise her
destiny as a Princess, but on the other hand we see a rise up against Ophelia’s
fascist step-father Captain Vidal as she is caught between the violence and horror.
Del Toro hasn’t been shy about his obtuse representation of fascism, it is a
dark and twisted portrayal of the heights of regimental arrogance and violence,
this is all done through the character of Captain Vidal who is viscous and
brutal to the point where he seems to be monstrously inhuman. However, the
fantasy world Ophelia is introduced to is equally as twisted and dark with the
trials that Ophelia faces allowing Del Toro to flex his creative muscles
through thrilling sequences of horror. This creates a divide, yet an
association between these two storylines, both take advantage of Ophelia and
her journey is compellingly tragic as this innocent soul drastically attempts
to leave this world she is trapped in.
Throughout the film, Del Toro commits to portraying both of
these elements with authenticity, the revolution is full of compelling
characters with honest motivations as well as fantastically constructed action
sequences. And the fantasy is uniquely Del Toro, his creative design is ridiculously
preside that it rivals some of the most famous fantasy productions of all time.
It is the commitment to showcasing both elements that makes the final act as
impactful as it is, he writes with a very ‘Cause and Effect’ ideology however demonstrating
these two worlds in conflict with each other as the ‘Cause and Effect’
transcends fantasy and reality. Throughout the film, there are several hints at
the ambiguous connection between Ophelia’s world and the real world, but in the
third act the film indulges in showing an uncompromisingly ambiguous idea that ultimately
should be taken as pure symbolism. This is all done through the character of
Mercedes, a maid to Ophelia’s family who is revealed to be a spy for the rebels,
she is shrouded with mystery and very subtly linked to elements of the fantasy
which adds this emotionally symbolic edge to the conclusion as Del Toro commends
those rebelling by associating them with Ophelia’s journey.
The film won three Oscars; Cinematography, Art Direction and
Makeup and these were undoubtedly earned and are beyond worthy of such
accolades. The Art Direction and Makeup is expected to be beyond beautiful when
dealing with a creative like Del Toro, but this is his best work by far. A lot
of the designs were based on dreams Del Toro had as a child, creatures such as The
Fawn, the Toad and The Pale Man are iconic to me. The Fawn is this unsettling otherworldly
being, his rustic and damaged look feels so unnatural yet his transformation throughout
the film is fascinating as he becomes more orange and vibrant as he looks more
alive. The Pale Man is a visual that has become a part of cinematic history,
the unnerving white humanoid figure with those viscous hands is beyond
terrifying. There is a reason the Pale Man sequence is the most talked about
moment from this film, it is tense and horrifying without using a single word
of dialogue Del Toro communicates a threatening villain seeped in symbolism. Guillermo
Navarro’s Cinematography combined with Bernat Vilaplana’s editing finish of the
film’s ambitious visual style. There is this distinct and purposeful colour pallete
throughout the film, utilising oranges and golds to associate with fantasy and
the rebellion and using blues and blacks to associate with Vidal’s fasism and
Ophelia’s danger. It is simple, yet incredibly effective punctuating many emotional
moments subconsciously as we are swept up in the beauty of this film. The action
sequences are put together with these sweeping long takes that wipe through
different perspectives, but it is the small quiet still moments where the frame
is still that have the most impact, from the beautiful mid-shots to those
harrowing close ups it is an achievement.
I’ve neglected to talk about him so far, but it is time to
commend the insanely talented Doug Jones for his performance in this film, and
a lot of Del Toro’s films. He is hidden in layers of makeup as The Fawn and The
Pale Man but his physical performance is grotesquely beautiful. As The Fawn his
movement is staccato and difficult giving a feeling of otherworldly ancient
history. His performance as The Pale Man is slow and monstrous, moving around
with a sense of sadistic eventuality. However, the performances as a whole in
the film are also fantastic. Ivana Baquuero as Ophelia is innocent and
charming, her childlike naivety is infectious and sympathetic, her relationship
with Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) is the emotional core of the film in my opinion
and the two share these fleeting moments of sympathy that are beyond upsetting.
I’ve mentioned Sergi Lopez’ as Captain Vidal but he is still one of the most
despicable villains I have ever seen, there are a few actors that just have
this skill of making you hate them to the core.
Thanks for Reading!