Guillermo del Toro is a very visual director. I was introduced to him through his earlier flick, The Devil's Backbone, and was enticed by his melding gritty realism with the supernatural. In Pan's Labyrinth he return's to Franco's Spain to tell another tale of a child stuck in a bad situation. I think I still enjoy the Devil's Backbone more, but Pan's Labyrinth definitely holds its own and was crucial in establishing del Toro's presence on the American filmmaking scene.
The film begins in 1944 in Spain after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Ofelia is unfortunately thrown into the middle of the woods at a fascist camp because her mother has remarried and is having the child of one Captain Vidal. Shortly after arriving, she discovers a magical prophecy that may prove her to be some form of underworld royalty. With the help of a faun, she goes about the tasks of allowing herself into this fantastical world. Compelling and original stories are hard to come by these days, and I have to give props to del Toro for managing to pull another one off.
Although things start slow, Pan's Labyrinth doesn't hold back on the shocking and disturbing moments once the plot starts moving. A fan of conventional effects over CGI, del Toro's penchan shows well in his rather sparse use of visual effects in a film that would probably warrant twice his budget of $19 million alone. His art direction, as usual, is his biggest strength. He can convince you of the mystical creatures residing in this forest, but also that they can reside right next to a historical conflict. Instead of worrying how fascists and fairies fit in the same film, we actually focus on the story.
I've heard that some of the roles in this flick were cast against their usual genre. Comedians playing sadists, sex kittens playing plain janes, etc. Although I am not fluent in Spanish, their visual performance was spot on and I sensed no awkwardness or clunky line deliveries. It may have been a gamble, but I think it paid off. Ivana Baquero, who plays Ofelia, conveys the curiosity and naivety required for the part and does well with it. Considering the film's success it should be interesting to see where she goes from here.
It was a little too slowly paced in the first act, and certain characterizations like the true motives of the faun aren't explored to the extent I think they could be. Like I've said, I prefer The Devil's Backbone, but Pan's Labyrinth is still a good film. I'll always be willing to sit down for a good yarn from del Toro, and if nothing else they're fun to look at.