2008 Woodie Awards
Spanish Fascism Parallels Fantastic Adventure
Critical thinking
Ian Jansen-Lonnquist
Issue date: 1/30/07 Section: B Side
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"El Laberinto del Fauno" is the work of the director Guillermo del Toro's imagination. The Englishdubbed "Pan's Labyrinth" follows a young girl named Ofelia, chronicling her mind's attempt to come to grips with the reality that is closing in on her.
Set in northern Franco-Spain in 1944 during a rebellion, Ofelia and her pregnant mother move to the rural north to be with her mother's new husband, Capitán Vidal, a cold and cruel man who Ofelia is now forced to call her father.
Life takes an unexpected turn as Ofelia is guided away from the confines of her new home by a fairy who leads her through Pan's Labyrinth.
Descending a staircase leads to Ofelia's first encounter with the faun who serves as a mentor as well as a physical representation of the duality of nature.
He enlightens her of her true identity as the princess of nature and its subsequent realm, the underworld where her father, the king, lives.
But in order to open the portal back to her kingdom, she is sent by Pan to complete three trying tasks.
El Laberinto del Fauno is best described as savagely lucid, a fairy tale that one might expect to find within the volumes written by the brothers Grimm.
It has the ability to either leave the audience full of hope or cast them into utter despair. One's own hopes and expectations cannot help but make or break how one is to ultimately judge this film.
Although the disconnect of the rebellion and Ofelia's fairy tale world might leave many unsatisfied with the story, no links or metaphors were made leaving the viewer to question the reasons why the rebellion was the set for the tale that unfolded.
Overall the movie did what all great films should: It made me question it, contemplate it and say, "I'll have to see it again."
Set in northern Franco-Spain in 1944 during a rebellion, Ofelia and her pregnant mother move to the rural north to be with her mother's new husband, Capitán Vidal, a cold and cruel man who Ofelia is now forced to call her father.
Life takes an unexpected turn as Ofelia is guided away from the confines of her new home by a fairy who leads her through Pan's Labyrinth.
Descending a staircase leads to Ofelia's first encounter with the faun who serves as a mentor as well as a physical representation of the duality of nature.
He enlightens her of her true identity as the princess of nature and its subsequent realm, the underworld where her father, the king, lives.
But in order to open the portal back to her kingdom, she is sent by Pan to complete three trying tasks.
El Laberinto del Fauno is best described as savagely lucid, a fairy tale that one might expect to find within the volumes written by the brothers Grimm.
It has the ability to either leave the audience full of hope or cast them into utter despair. One's own hopes and expectations cannot help but make or break how one is to ultimately judge this film.
Although the disconnect of the rebellion and Ofelia's fairy tale world might leave many unsatisfied with the story, no links or metaphors were made leaving the viewer to question the reasons why the rebellion was the set for the tale that unfolded.
Overall the movie did what all great films should: It made me question it, contemplate it and say, "I'll have to see it again."
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