Review of Pan's Labyrinth (2006) by Alfred W — 30 Oct 2015

Simply a masterpiece, both in terms of Del Toro's stunning visuals and his perfectly crafted storyline.

As the consensus suggests, the plot and themes echo that of Alice in Wonderland and a variety of other gothic fantasy's, yet introduce elements of horror which contribute to this unique, exhilarating mix of genres. We can relate to and display immense sympathy for Ofelia's struggle, particularly during the period where she feels the lowest, which is impeccably executed. Due to the uneasy themes conveyed throughout the film, our protagonist lacks anyone that she can absolutely trust. Even the magical creature, whom she finds herself entrusted with performing delicate yet dangerous tasks for, is strikingly haunting.

Whilst we watch Ofelia almost dauntlessly accept the challenge of completing the tasks and eagerly follow her journey to become a princess, several subplots begin to subtly develop. Vidal's wish to have a son, who will take over for him after his death, gave him some humane depth which made his character more believably evil yet even somehow extracting minor sympathy from the audience during certain scenes. The relationship between Mercedes and the rebels worked perfectly, linking with the backstory as well as tying into Ofelia's quest.

Pan's Labyrinth reminds us how important a solid plot really is when it comes to films like these, and it's safe to say the Guillermo Del Toro delivered a stroke of genius. This film remains one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite film of all time.