Pan's Labyrinth: A review

[3113]

This is a *Spoiler* review of the movie "Pan's Labyrinth"--if you don't want to know anything about that movie, don't read. You've been warned!
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Second warning: this is also something of a rant. From writer to writers, not as popcorn-eating movie-goer to popcorn-eating movie goers. So it will be critical.
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Okay. So I really was looking forward to this film, even before it started getting a lot of attention and accolades. And I like Del Toro's work--although I find him to be more a competent director than an astonishing one. There were a few things I expected from the film: (a) A cool Labyrinth (how not with that title?), (b) A cool Pan (how not with that title?), (c) An interesting history lesson (as it takes place in Facist Spain), (d) Some visually cool elements, some suggestion of a rich imagination.

I'm afraid I was a little disappointed. Allow me to make a few other things clear, however, before I get into my critique:

1) The scene that's getting all the attention, it's images from Goya's paintings of Saturn devouring his children, THAT scene is really cool. And almost worth seeing the movie for.

2) I'm a lit major. So please don't tell me that I didn't "get" something. I got all the metaphors and corollaries and layers of meanings--the main one being that the fight to maintain an imagination in this world is equalivant to freedom fighters battling against facisism.

3) I'm not a big fan of magical realism. So I will cop to the fact that genre and the demands of that genre contributed to my problem with the film.

So what did I think? I wasn't impressed. In fact, I found it rather prosaic on all levels, and I don't know why it's getting such attention.

My Problems:

1) Characters aren't developed: Except for the General, almost no one in the movie is a fully realized character. Not even the main little girl. All we know about her is she likes fairytales. Worst of all, Pan isn't much of a character, which is very disappointing. How can Pan, the title character, be so...nothing?

2) The world isn't that interesting. We never see much of Pan's Labyrinth or spend any time in it. In fact, the movie could be called "Pan's garden" and be exactly the same. The magic realm is severely underpopulated--few creatures, few places. And Fascist Spain isn't really explored either.

3) The images aren't that compelling: outside of the "Saturn" guy, few of the scenes offer compelling action/images. I wonder why Del Toro didn't go all the way, and make the movie completely "Goya" as that would have been visually stunning.

4) The story is, sadly, very predictable--at least from the little girl's level. We know right away that over and over again, we're going to be given that ambiguity: the fantasy is really happening for the girl, but the adults see nothing, and there's only a *hint* of evidence that the girl might be right (and the adults wrong)...or not. Which gets to be repetitive and predictable.

The end, for me, was the most predictable thing. I was really, really hoping what I thought was going to happen would not happen. Or if it was going to happen, that it would at least happen with good reason. Alas. It didn't.

5) The fairytale isn't that great The little girl is caught in her own fairytale, and while I understand that it must be a generic fairytale on some level, I'm afraid I've read too many books and comics and fairytales to be satisfied with what the movie offers. The little girl's fairytale is a *dull* fairytale as well as a saggy dog story.

6) Artifical: I mentioned that I "got" all the layers of meaning. And that, in the end, is my biggest problem with this movie. Everything about it's story is there to serve the metaphor. So even if something makes no sense, it happens because the metaphor (or some layer of meaning) demands it. For example, the girl eating the grapes--I didn't for a minute believe she'd disobey that command, because there's nothing in her character to suggest she would, and, given the urgency, danger and time limit of the mission, and the fact that she's not been starved or deprived, no reason for her to be tempted.

She does it only because the metaphor demands it. The corollary to the freedom fighters stealing food demands it.

This, to me, is bad story telling. Metaphor, symbolism, levels of meaning should never dictate the story. Rather the story should create all those things while staying true to itself. This story was not true to itself. Hence, this long-assed rant. It was true to what the director wanted. And that's never, IMHO, the way it should go. Rather, the director should be true to what the story wants. Always.

That's my take on "Pan's Labyrinth." Believe me, I really, really wanted to like this movie. It saddens me that it didn't live up to the hype. At least, not for me. I hope it was different for you. All in all, however, I'd recommend you wait till it comes out on DVD.

 

[Nirvanadragones]

I've been looking forward to it

 

[3113]

I've been looking forward to it

Well...do you like Magical Realism? I do admit, that genre contributed to my bias here. I don't much like movies that are ambiguous about whether the magic was real or not (though I never had a problem with the "Wizard of Oz" strangely enough).

 

[Nirvanadragones]

Well...do you like Magical Realism? I do admit, that genre contributed to my bias here. I don't much like movies that are ambiguous about whether the magic was real or not (though I never had a problem with the "Wizard of Oz" strangely enough).

I do like Magical Realism. Very much so.

I'm seeing the movie on Saturday, if all goes according to plan. I'll let you know what I think

 

[rgraham666]

You probably wouldn't like MirrorMask then, 3113.

I intend to wait for the DVD anyway. Can't really afford to go to movies these days.

 

[3113]

You probably wouldn't like MirrorMask then

Heh. Nope. But it wasn't because it was Magical Realism (though that certainly didn't help). I just found it a really boring movie.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I haven't seen it yet, but my daughter did- and she liked it so much that she called me from the theater to enthuse. And she was bored by MirrorMask.

We are Magical Realism fans around here

 

[CharleyH]

Interesting take. I just recently saw a trailer (in many ways Europe is behind the times as much as it is beyond), but have not heard about it other than your opinion, which is intriguing. Even after reading your op, I am very interested in seeing the film, but for a very specific reason.

I am a film major and while the trailer looked a bit too Gothic (Ken Russell, 1988) without Russell's fabulous flambouancy and sense of humour, the edited pieces of cinematography in the trailer did intrigue me. What makes the film more of a draw for me, though, is the premise or the dichotomy between the fairy tale and facist Spain. (I took a fairy tale lit course in Uni).

One of the most fascinating films that juxtaposes the fairy tale with fascism (and it is NOT a movie for everyone) was Paolo Pasolini's 'Salo: 120 days of Sodom' (1975). It's really quite a brilliant piece of work for adults who have a strong stomach.

I understood from the trailer that the Pan's Labyrinth was told more from the little girl's POV and wondered, from that POV and thinking of Pasolini's film, how such a story might be told and how the fairy tale motifs might play against fascist Spain.

I know that you may have not seen Salo (if you have? I would be very interested in further discussion), but in a way the trailer struck me as a kind of innocent homage to Pasolini. This is what makes me still want to see the film.

I think it "MIGHT" have more depth than what you are initially seeing. Of course, it might not, too and I can't really say because I have not seen the film, but this is how it has struck me thus far.

Do you find, 3113, as I do, that when themes of fascism in film arise, so to do fairy tale motifs? I find this thought interesting.

 

[Grushenka]

There were a few things I expected from the film: (a) A cool Labyrinth (how not with that title?), (b) A cool Pan (how not with that title?), (c) An interesting history lesson (as it takes place in Facist Spain), (d) Some visually cool elements, some suggestion of a rich imagination.

3113: Obviously your expectations were ill-formed. a) Why not imagine that the labyrinth in the title might be more of a simple metaphor than a set? b) One man’s “cool” Pan might be another’s dud. c) Why did you expect a history lesson simply for the time setting? God save me from films that attempt lessons! d) It’s my opinion that the creator of this film has a deeply rich imagination (I’ve heard him speak), however I must emphasize that that does not equate with the special-effects mentality of blockbuster pseudo scifi/fantasy films.

My own impression: this is one of the most poetically beautiful films I’ve seen in years. The imagery is profoundly poetic and fantastic, and exceeds the simpler aspects of what’s called ‘magical realism’.

3113: You do the film an injustice trying to fit it into your literary and filmic labels (character, prosody, corollary, symbolism, blah blah blah).

People who have yet to see the film: Go without expectations and focus on the mind of a child, on your mind before the world crept in on you.

p.s. The film was made in Spain with mostly Spanish actors by a Mexican director – do not expect Star Wars or Harry Potter worlds.

 

[3113]

3113: Obviously your expectations were ill-formed. a) Why not imagine that the labyrinth in the title might be more of a simple metaphor than a set? b) One man’s “cool” Pan might be another’s dud. c) Why did you expect a history lesson simply for the time setting? God save me from films that attempt lessons! d) It’s my opinion that the creator of this film has a deeply rich imagination (I’ve heard him speak), however I must emphasize that that does not equate with the special-effects mentality of blockbuster pseudo scifi/fantasy films.

Okay. first, let me elaborate as you really, really misunderstood my expectations:
1) I've heard this guy speak too. I *KNOW* how rich his imagination is. That's part of why I was disappointed. It didn't show up on film. Not for me, your milage may vary, as may your imagination.

2) I didn't expect the metaphor to be simple. But neither did I expect it to be pretty much ignored. Which, I'm sorry, it was.

3) If you'd like to explain to me how the Pan was "cool," I'd be interested. He seemed a straight-forward psychopomp to me, there to offer up tasks and little more.

4) I didn't expect a history lesson. But I've something of an imagination as well--and when I hear "Facist Spain" like "Labryinth" I see all sorts of posibilities. These were truncated in the extreme. I got "Freedom fighters in the woods" and a "garden" instead. And that disappointed me. If you liked it, fine.

You do the film an injustice trying to fit it into your literary and filmic labels (character, prosody, corollary, symbolism, blah blah blah).

And you do me a SEVERE injustice by trying to stuff me into your label of a film critic. I'm sorry if you don't like my opinion because it doesn't jive with yours, and I'll happily discuss it with you, as people can discuss different opinions on everything from film, to music, to books. But I won't let you pretend that my opinion has no validity just because I'm not willing to heap praise and weep tears over something that came across to me as trite and prosaic rather than moving and monumental.

I especially take exception to the implication that I was expecting "Harry Potter." As I said in the beginning of my review, I like Del Torro and have seen his films. I knew very much what to expect from him, and the disappointment was that HE did not live up to those expectations I had of HIM, not that he didn't live up to expectations of being any other sort of film maker.

There is NEVER any reason to insult anyone's opinion on something like this. But if you'd like to go that route, for no good earthly reason, I'll be happy to insult your taste, opinion and intelligence as well.

 

[3113]

I understood from the trailer that the Pan's Labyrinth was told more from the little girl's POV

Actually, no. It is split down the middle between her pov and that of the adult female freedom fighter she parallels. There are a lot of scenes without the little girl or her perspective, scenes all focused on either the freedom fighters or on the sadistic General they are fighting.

I know that you may have not seen Salo (if you have? I would be very interested in further discussion)

No, I haven't, though you now have me interested. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Del Toro was influenced by that director. I've heard his commentary on other movies and he does admit to a lot of different influences, everything from comicbooks to painters to other film makers.

I think it "MIGHT" have more depth than what you are initially seeing.

I did not go into all the "depth" it had as I didn't want to take up the entire post with that. The only reason I mentioned it at all is because when I do post negative reviews, I tend to get accused of "missing" the depth of the story. I wanted to avoid being accused of that, because, frankly, in most cases, I see a LOT more than the people accusing me of missing things. Time and again, when I get into such discussions (and I often wonder if I should bother), I end up pointing out to such accusers things that they've missed.

I see depth pretty easily, and it does not impress me if it's "depth" for "depth's" sake. The film has to be more than just "deep."

Do you find, 3113, as I do, that when themes of fascism in film arise, so to do fairy tale motifs?

Interesting question. I find that fascism in film is close to being a sacred cow. It gives the film an instant aura of...I'm not sure what to call it. And maybe that's because it's like a fairytale to viewers, with it's heroes instantly put in the position of fairytale heroes, small and making their way through a world that's like one dark, dangerous forest, while some great evil rules the land. And as in a fairy tale, the story is often about the good fairies and magical but neutral creatures they run into who help them, or need to be tricked, or have treasures, etc. All of which can save the small, weak heroes from that evil.

A lot of such stories involve kids--often because they're made by directors who were kids during such a time (aka Polanski). But also because kids are an easy metaphor for how such times destroy the innocent--and the innocence of the world (aka, Speilberg's infamous red-coated little girl, running through the first half of "Schindler's" like little red-riding-hood, about to be eaten by the big, bad wolf).

I think you may have hit on something, there.

 

[Grushenka]

3113: Communication between strangers online is at best difficult. I meant no personal attack or implications. Should have simply given my opinion of the film, but I did want to respond to the thread's author. Apologies for any offense.

No further response, I don't argue about film (and many other things). You were disappointed, I was very satisfied. Fin.