A fairy tale with graphic violence and vulgar language is not a film you take the kids to see. Pan’s Labyrinth is such a film.
A labyrinth is a large maze and the object of Ophelia’s (Ivana Baquero) imagination. She is a young girl that has relocated with her pregnant mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) to stay with her mother’s new husband Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), a violent and heartless man.
Vidal is in command of a unit that is to protect a mill holding rations for the people in the area that is in constant attack by rebel forces. The only thing he cares about is the son Carmen is carrying.
Ophelia finds refuge in the nearby labyrinth where she runs into a faun, a mythical creature that keeps fairies as pets. He tells Ophelia her true place in life and the reason she must go through tests to find out if she is worthy.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this Mexican film is in Spanish and can be found with English subtitles. It seems difficult to read the subtitles at first. After a short amount of time you do not even realize you are reading them. The film has a lot of visuals so the speech is kept to a minimum.
The special effects are enchanting. The makeup on the faun is extremely well presented. With that and the excellent acting, it brings this fairytale to life. The violence sends you into the horrors of war.
Then there is the innocence of Ophelia, the young girl on a quest to a better life. It is a story that tugs at the heart. The film has an ending that allows the viewer to decide if it is tragic or “happily ever after”.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a film that for one hour and 42 minutes will allow you to be a kid again and enter a journey into a magical world. Unlike Harry Potter, you do not have to feel guilty; it is intended to appeal to the adult in you.