Re:Visiting – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

‘El Laberinto Del Fauno’

A long time ago in the Underground Realm, there lived a Princess who dreamt of the human world. She dreamt of blue skies, soft breeze and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the bright sun blinded her and erased her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness and pain. And eventually she died. However, her father, the king, always knew that the Princess’ soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning …

And so begins Pan’s Labyrinth, a beautifully crafted dark fairytale, created by a uniquely talented visual auteur. Produced, written, and directed by Guillermo Del Toro (Cronos / Blade II / Hellboy); Pan’s Labyrinth is a Spanish language co-production between Spain and Del Toro’s native Mexico. A multi-genre visual splendour and for many, the visionary filmmakers masterpiece to date. A spiritual sequel to his previous film The Devil’s Backbone (2001), blending fantasy with a period war drama, Pan’s Labyrinth celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, having premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival where it received a twenty-four minute standing ovation, before releasing to theatres in Spain on October 11th … and going on to gross over $83 million worldwide.

Following the introduction via the fairytale monologue, we meet Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her heavily pregnant mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) in 1944, as they travel through rural Spain to live with her new husband Vidal (Sergi López); a sadistic captain of the fascist Franco regime. The civil war is over, however Vidal is in charge of a military outpost set up to rid the area of guerrilla freedom fighters who are hiding in the forests of the surrounding mountains. Ofelia is a young girl with her head in the clouds; she loves reading fairytales and exploring the woodland around her; while she and the Captain take an instant disliking to each other.

She does however find a kindred spirit in the Captain’s housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú), who appears to be harbouring secrets within the compound alongside Dr. Ferreiro (Alex Angulo) who is charged with taking care of Carmen. Ofelia is watched by a strange and mysterious insect like creature as she arrives at her new home, and is instantly enchanted by the forests that surround them. Del Toro masterfully blends the tone of a dark fairytale and childhood innocence, with flashes of extreme violence amidst the background of war … combining to create an intriguing tonal blend that was quite unlike anything else that came before it.

Ofelia is visited at night by the insect, who transforms into a fairy and takes her on a journey into the forest and to a hidden labyrinth where she meets an ancient Faun (Doug Jones), who believes her to be the reincarnation of the Princess. He provides her with a magical book, explaining the book will set her three tasks to complete in order to prove that she has not become a mortal … so that she can return to her father in the Underground Realm. And herein sits the heart of the story, as Ofelia yearns for the father who was killed as a traitor by the Fascist regime, and is torn by the bond she has with her mother and her unborn brother; and her disdain for the man her mother has chosen to now marry.

When her mother falls desperately ill, Ofelia seeks comfort in the arms of Mercedes who she has worked out is helping the resistance fighters of the forest. She is visited by the Faun who is angry that after successfully completing her first quest and retrieving a key from the belly of a giant toad, she has been unable to complete her second task due to Carmen’s condition. He provides her with a Mandrake root to place under her mother’s bed which will magically heal her, and he talks her through the task. Warning her that she will be entering the lair of an evil child-eating creature known as The Pale Man (Doug Jones); and that she will find a great feast spread over a table of which she mustn’t eat a morsel.

It’s here, that Del Toro’s movies takes its darkest turn into Horror, as Ofelia must complete her challenge in the presence of the seemingly dormant monster. After using the key she acquired during her first quest, she opens a small door and retrieves a sacrificial dagger. But upon leaving, she becomes over confident, and unable to help herself she ignores the Faun’s warning and plucks a grape from the banquet, thus awakening the revolting creature. Del Toro creates a truly horrifying monster with eyeballs in his hands; who proceeds to chase Ofelia while devouring two fairies who had accompanied her down into its lair. The Faun shows his anger once more, telling Ofelia that she’s failed and can never return to her realm; cursed to live in misery as a mortal.

Amongst the backdrop of her mother’s condition and the increasing battles between the Captain’s small army and the resistance fighters, Ofelia becomes despondent; and events hurtle towards the eventual death of Carmen during childbirth. This leaves Ofelia in the clutches of her evil stepfather, who becomes increasingly more deranged as the conflict around him escalates and he begins to uncover traitors in his midst. With all hope seemingly lost, the Faun returns to Ofelia, offering her one final chance; demanding that she brings her new baby brother to the labyrinth.

As the Captain comes under attack, Ofelia does as she is asked; but realises that the Faun means to draw the blood of the innocent child with the sacrificial blade she had collected in order to open the portal to the Underground Realm. As she argues with the Faun, the Captain arrives and shoots her. He retrieves his son, but is surrounded by resistance fighters, and is left with no choice but to accept his fate and give up the baby to Mercedes. Whilst in the throes of her death, Ofelia returns home … having unknowingly completed the third task by unselfishly spilling her own blood rather that that of the innocent baby.

In Pan’s Labyrinth, the eleven-year-old Baquero provides a truly fantastic performance as Ofelia. But the young actress was also supported by a wonderful cast, with superb performances across the board helping to bring Del Toro’s visual masterclass to life. But in addition to this, Pan’s Labyrinth also provides a sumptuous blend of CGI and practical animatronic F/X, which really holds up two decades later … with Jones’ visual look and performance as both The Faun, and The Pale Man providing iconic images which accompany this special fantasy movie. A homage to the likes of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and the works of Hans Christian Anderson and Charles Dickens; which once watched … will never be forgotten. KZ

Words by Mark T. Bates