Zachary FenellPan's Labyrinth
September 11th 2008 06:12
The film is set just after the Spanish civil war in 1944, and the story revolves around Ofelia, a young girl who uses her imagination to escape the harsh realities of life. Whilst Ivana Baquero gives a mature performance in the role of Ofelia, Sergi López Ayats’ portrayal of the movie’s “villain”, Captain Vidal, isn't a memorable one due to the all-too-archetypal nature of the character.
Like most fantasy-based films in this day and age, Pan's Labyrinth relies heavily on special effects to convey the story in a believable manner. Or rather; it tries to. Unfortunately, because the bar has been set so high over previous years, some of the computer animated creatures in this film seem almost cartoonish by comparison. However, there is one saving grace as far as special effects go in this film, and that lies the make-up and prosthetics used to portray the more humanoid creatures. They are altogether more convincing, frightening at times and more suited for the dark theme of the film.
The film's fantasy elements generally seem incongruous to the main story, due to the lack of emphasis placed upon them and their seemingly random placement within the film. Director Guillermo del Toro would have done better to explore more of the unique imaginary world he has created rather than the one Ofelia is trying to escape from.
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