The Moving Picture

“Pan’s Labyrinth” has something for every moviegoer, except for children. It is a war drama, a fantasy adventure and an action film, but despite its title there is nothing in this movie for families. It is a dark, disturbing and often twisted drama that happens to blend a child’s fairytale with the dark realities of life.
However, despite its dark, gruesome and often scary plot “Pan’s Labyrinth” is one of the best films of 2006. The film reminds viewers that all stories, including fairytales, are important. There are stories all around us and all speak truths, including the ones with fairies and fauns. In fact, fairytales are a reflection of reality and in actuality there is very little difference between the harsh truths of daily life and the morally succinct endings of children’s stories.
The young and imaginative Ofelia moves to the Spanish countryside with her mother to live with her new stepfather, the brutal Capitan Vidal who’s mission it is to wipe out the rebels attempting to free the Spanish people from the oppressive Fascist regime in 1944 Spain.
Her first night in the creaky, creepy old forest home a fairy leads Ofelia to the center of an old labyrinth near the house. There an old faun reveals that she is possibly the reincarnated soul of the daughter of the King of the Underworld. If she completes three tasks by the full moon she can take her place by his side. Frightened by the sudden changes in her life and struggling with the death of her father and his replacement by the cold Capitan, Ofelia embarks on the fairytale adventure.
There is a strong connection between Ofelia’s fairytale and the desperate struggle of the rebels. The doctor caring for Ofelia’s pregnant mother asks the rebel leader if he thinks such a small force can really hope to overthrow the well-equipped, well-trained Spanish army. Both Ofelia and the rebels are pursuing a fairytale ending. Ofelia wants a loving father and mother together in a place where she feels safe and the rebels want to make Spain safe for everyone. Both get what they want, but at a price neither expected to pay. Fairytales do come true, but all happy endings are costly. This theme is immediately established at the film’s opening with an image of Ofelia bleeding and dying as the narrator begins telling the fairytale.
One of the major themes of “Pan’s Labyrinth” is that life is hard and cruel and even fairytales have a cutting edge. Ofelia’s mother tells her daughter that she will soon learn that life is hard and she is all too right. Innocence often gets caught between the harsh realities of life and though there is magic all around us, which can have a profound effect in dark times, there are no happy endings. Endings are bittersweet by their very nature.
Not only is the careful weaving of the film’s dual plot line fascinating and compelling, but the creatures are as imaginative and interesting as they are disturbing. The entire look of the film is captivating. Though it is dark and sometimes scary you do not want to avert your eyes for fear of missing a single spectacular vision.
“Pan’s Labyrinth” is well deserving of its Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and should attract moviegoers to theaters. Do not miss this film on the big screen as this one is surely worthy of the exorbitant price of a movie ticket.