Review of Pan's Labyrinth (2006) by Colby D — 30 Mar 2017

More than 10 years ago I sat in a theater watching Pan's Labyrinth and I was kind of enjoying it. Then my cell phone blew up with repeated calls and messages as the climax was approaching. Out of courtesy I exited the theater to check my messages. Because of a work emergency I never walked back into that theater to see the end. As sad as it is to admit, later that day I actually went on a spoilers website to read how the movie ended.

Seeing it again in its entirety I was quickly reminded how much I like this blend of real-world drama and fantastical story-telling. Whether the fairy tale was real or all a figment of Ofelia's imagination actually doesn't matter in the long run because the movie works either way. If you like a gritty, dark, sad ending you could say it's fake. If you like a hopeful, happy ending you simply take it as the truth. I lean towards it all actually happening, because without that reality there are a few things that don't make sense for me.

The drama that is unfolding around Ofelia is great. The Captain is a perfect villain. He is intimidating and ruthless, but we see just enough of him in quieter moments that you can sense why he is this way. The tension is high for all the people around him, which makes it surprising when we see that multiple people in his employ are working against him. I thought the cast was really good, even though I always have trouble telling if line delivery is done well when it's in a foreign language.

The real magic of Pan's Labyrinth is in the amazing costume and makeup work. The fact that they have multiple elaborate fantasy creatures that are done entirely with practical effects is remarkable. The authenticity is through the roof, and the handful of CGI effects are small and therefore your mind just accepts them as real because of all the other real stuff you are seeing. It's a marvelous looking film and I wish more modern day movies would learn how powerful it can be when you take the time and create practical effects.

There are a few things that don't work for me in the film. I struggle whenever an adult interacts with something out of Ofelia's story, it starts to raise so many questions for me. I thought there were some times when the movie lingered on something much longer than necessary, the most difficult being the sewing of the Captain's lip. There are a few other minor things that annoy me, but I can't say there are any major flaws in the film. It's one that I find very impressive, and if it were in English I might be tempted to add it to my collection.