R for graphic violence and some language
Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Mimic and Hellboy)
Starring Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López and Maribel Verdú.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a completely wild, entirely creepy ride.
Set in 1944 Spain, Pan’s Labyrinth is the fascinating story about Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a girl who is fascinated with fairy-tales. She is sent with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a sadistic and ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He reveals to her that she is a princess, but must prove her royalty by accomplishing three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again.
TODD’S WORD:
I have to admit I actually held this movie in my hand at my local Blockbuster about a month ago. When I realized it was a rated R, subtitled, fantasy movie, I put it back on the shelf. But last week I was all caught up on movies and nothing new was coming out. So I thought I’d give it a chance. My only regret is that it took me so long.
JONATHAN’S WORD:
I had the same experience. I had it in my hand numerous times. But I saw the creature on the front and thought… forget it… it looked cheesy! Once I saw it, I actually enjoyed it.
TODD’S WORD:
Pan’s Labyrinth is a fascinating journey into the magical world that Ofelia uses to escape the very real world that is often dark, violent, and scary. There are intense moments of graphic violence in which we see her father displaying the depravity of man. I mean there are some scenes that made Pulp Fiction look like an episode of Dora the Explorer.
JONATHAN’S WORD:
I’ll second the motion. I’m usually not that bothered by violence, but this guy was trying to rival David Cronenberg (director of A History of Violence, The Fly…). A little over the top for my taste.
TODD’S WORD:
Sure. But I feel like I could watch this movie over and over and see something new every time. Watching it also makes me wish I had studied film (like some people I know), because there is a richness in Pan’s Labyrinth that I have only begun to appreciate.
JONATHAN’S WORD:
Pan was good. It was an intriguing fairy tale. But I’m not as impressed as Todd was. I think there were holes. There was a scene where Ofelia had to do a “task” of sorts and resist a temptation. Her response to the temptation didn’t seem to match her character throughout the rest of the film. In the same scene we were introduced to an intriguing creature—a great character. But the creature was given less screen time than Steven Seagal in Executive Decision (although that was a GOOD decision). The storyline wasn’t flawless.
I enjoyed the film, but I just didn’t think it was all it was hyped up to be. Especially so close to the Lord of the Rings films, which are part of the same fantasy genre… a VERY tough act to follow.
TODD’S WORD:
I never thought I would enjoy a movie about a fairy tale, but Pan’s Labyrinth continues to prove me wrong. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it today.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
No. Definitely keep the younger kids away from this one, and I’d be leery of letting older kids seeing it as well. The violence is realistic and very brutal.
Side Note:
As said above, we don’t recommend your kids see this film. But on the occasion that they actually have already seen it, you may want to dialogue about the film with them. These questions below may be a help to you.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
