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Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
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Movie Review by Zara 
May 30th, 2007
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Bear with me Paul... bear with me
*Cracking Knuckles*
OK... here we go. I grew up in an area where there was a large Hispanic population. I understand that the culture possesses many supernatural myths and stories that they like to pass down. Most of it ties into a belief in religion and/or "the church," something that I can't get behind. So there's a tad bit of a sour taste in my mouth to start with.
Top off that sour taste with del Toro's handling of HELLBOY, the only movie that I'd seen of his prior and you might be able to understand why the creatures in the rubber suits disturbed me. No, not on a level where I was cringing as if afraid of a clown. I'm talking about distracting me from what was otherwise a very interesting and engaging tale.
Tale is actually not quite the word I'm looking for here. If the movie had chosen to focus more on the historical story, the reality of this little girl and her mother during a war-torn time in Spain, I would have been able to get behind it. As it stands, I now understand why this movie didn't win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
While rich in detail and incredible moments of CGI and make-up effects, if you're not someone who gets behind old school fairy tales, that portion of the movie is going to be highly distracting to you. People complained that this movie was marketed as a fantasy flick and then were upset that there were sequences of reality "thrown in."
I say that I'm disappointed that del Toro didn't have faith in the story of what was going on in this girl's reality and decided to throw in her fantasies. I liked the special effects, but it's kind of like watching a neat commercial right as the show I'm watching cuts to a break. Great diversion but f*ck it all - can we please get back to the main program?? Hell, that's one of the main reasons why I f*cking loathe watching television anymore, the dramatic commercial breaks. There's a reason why TV shows do so well on DVD - no f*cking commercials.
This would have been a great movie in my opinion if it hadn't gone so overboard on the fantasy aspect. It's possible to have a movie which delves a little into fantasy (think THE FISHER KING) and yet manages to keep its feet planted mostly on the ground. You can be odd without giving this sensation that if it weren't for the cool creatures no one would be at all interested in watching what you have to tell.
The best moments for me (can I keep saying this in as many different ways as possible? Yes, I think I can!) are when the movie is grounded. Mercedes and her attack on the Captain was the key moment for me.
In the end the movie is just too uneven and too tentative for me to appreciate to the fullest extent. I really liked it and yet.... I just can't get fully behind it. This is a really good movie but FAR from being any kind of masterpiece.
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 | Lisa
May 30, 2007 7:04 AM
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| I agree with you on it not being a masterpiece, but I liked the way it melded fantasy with reality. |
 | Zombie Boy
May 30, 2007 9:45 PM
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Well, now, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I agree that it was marketed poorly. It was not a fantasy film whatsoever. The fantastical elements were a graphic representation of Ofelia's attempt to come to terms with her harsh reality. I'll tell you the same thing I told Rog: wait a few months, then watch it again. Without the expectations that the improper marketing caused, you might see more of what I saw. Or, you might not :)
PS: check out The Devil's Backbone. |
 | Misty
Jun 4, 2007 1:22 PM
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| I loved the part when Mercedes cut that motherf*cker too! He was an ass, but I really liked this flick. Hmmm... |
 | And
Nov 12, 2008 10:56 PM
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You didn't like the "fantasy" aspect because it tied into religion, which you "can't get behind". Subject matter is hardly a reason to judge a movie. You also don't like it because a different movie sucked. That doesn't even make sense. And if I'm reading this correctly, one part of the plot distracted you from another, so you want that part of the plot taken out.
It irks me that you say del Toro didn't have faith in one part of the plot so he threw in the other, when it was his full intention to have the fantasy aspect because of the movie's underlying message which you "can't get behind". You think the main message of the movie is the girl dealing with her circumstances because of your own background and so you think everything else is needless (in spite of the end).
Gonna be honest. This review sucks. |
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May 30, 2007 10:23 PM
And I'll tell you that while I was aware of the marketing, I also know not to pay attention to marketing. And I have a mother who leaves me no choice but to walk out of the room with my fingers in my ears chanting "LALALALALA!!" when she comes home from watching a flick, but that only filters out a small portion, so I knew the elements that the movie entailed. I simply pointed out marketing for those people who ONLY pay attention to the trailers. You know, those people who thought that A BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA was going to be another NARNIA. Pity for them.
Oh, and P.S.S.S.?? My parental evaluation of the movie determined that my kid would have been fine watching it. But hey... mother knows best, right?