Pan's Labyrinth

This enchanting movie will leave you both bewildered and touched at its conclusion. Contesting empiricism, director Guillermo Del Toro aptly blurs the distinction between fantasy and reality, erasing boundaries that are arguably, the constructs of our mind. While many suggest that Pan, like The Devil's Backbone (also directed by Del Toro), is based on a child's retreat into magical realms in a bout of psychological escapism, the mythical creatures presented in the film seem to hint otherwise.

The computer generated images of various animals, such as the faun, the cicada-fairies, the mandrake root, and most grotesque of all, the pale man, is beautifully done, aptly presenting the epitomé of an imagination gone wrong. In this manner, it seems Ofelia's seeming retreat into a less traumatic situation has gone awry, and was not intended to be a retreat at all. Yet it is difficult to believe in the gross distortion of the supernatural for novelty's sake. On some level, this reflects the ubiquity of 'adult' problems, as relatively mature themes worm their way into Ofelia's fantasy world, and she is unable to throw them off despite her concerted efforts.

Del Toro's treatment of the genre is and has always been remarkable, for it is a genre that is easily massacred at the heights of incompetence and at the hands of under-sensitive film-makers. The storyline, characterisation, and special effects work together to create a film that is visually appealing, intellectually stimulating, and emotionally moving. However, the dialogue is not flawless, as certain translations from Spanish tend to be clumsy, tumbling into the cliché fantasy-speech mould characterised by the likes of Enid Blyton. Despite this, Ivana Baquero (Ofelia) does an excellent job as a multi-faceted child in her emotional toggling and delivery of trite, altruistic lines while maintaining a convincing balance of goodness and amorality.

Most appealing of all is the vaguely modal theme that Mercedes hums to a shimmering orchestral accompaniment. The music is featured at key points in the film; now driving, now pulling back, and is almost a perfect complement to the unfolding drama. The enthralling lullaby by Javier Navarrete is characteristic of the film's misleading appearances, as it twists and evolves into a darkly hypnotic monody, one that is as haunting as it is bewitching. Kudos to the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir on their interpretation of this film score.

One gripe many would have of the movie is its utterly hackneyed ending scene in the palace of the underworld. It seems that the only justification for the inclusion of this scene is to restore the hope of karma in the film, to bestow upon the dangerous, oblique fairy world some redeeming qualities for the benefit of unsuspecting parents who've brought their kids to this movie. The smug manner in which Ofelia's aristocratic parents peer down from their pedestals congratulating their daughter on her morality is quite insufferable.

All that aside, the holistic experience of this movie is nonetheless positive and makes for excellent discussion of thematic materials and historical symbolism. Prior knowledge of the Spanish Civil War will be helpful in better appreciating the movie's dualism and the contrast between fantasy and reality.

Anon.