film: Pan's Labyrinth (Laberinto del fauno)
Jerman's Rating: 3 steps forward, 2 steps back. Defcon 5(Disturbing) for the violence of an evil man. This is a movie for adults, not under 18, if you're under 16 you should definitely not watch it. As for who would most appreciate it- I don't really know.
When I saw this film it was subtitled, which made me like it more, but after seeing it, hearing that all my friends liked it, I didn't care for it much, it was very intense, too intense for me. But I'll try not to be biased at all and talk about the themes presented by Pan's Labyrinth.
It has one theme which is very close to Finding Neverland's- one of imagination, and creating worlds to live inside or to retreat to. Pan was set right after a civil war and when the fascists are in charge, its a world that everyone would have wanted to escape from, it was horrible. Ofelia has magical adventures that take place right next to the war thats happening around her. Her adventures are dangerous, just like real world dangers, so don't expect Bridge to Terabithia kind of imagination, its a different flavor. Bedtime stories are so much more important than just made-up-stories.
It took me a while to be able to think about this film better, and when I could I realized it had a lot more to offer. I remember reading about the director a few months ago and he had this Latin phrase that meant "In our choices lies our fate." He said the film was based on that concept. It really was. We chisel out our fate by the choices we make, and the hinges swing very wide. Our choices don't just affect our fate, our fate is created by our choices. If you watch the film then you will see this in operation. Its done very well. This film has a duality that some other films have- it can be watched as Ofelia - to whom it is a fairy tale-ish story filled with wonderful and horrible things, but a happy ending. Or it can be watched as Carmen or Mercedes to whom it is a very different story but has the same parallels- facing dangers and choosing what's right, and sticking to what your heart and character demands of you to do. This duality is probably my favorite aspect of this film, each way you watch it adds to the meaning of the other ways to watch it.
I have to make a note about the violence in the film, and it will (and should) deter many people from watching the film. It is shot and edited in such a way that makes it gross, much more gross than it actually is (by gross I don't mean blood'n'guts, I mean its ugly and evil and demented). The main bad guy is a rather stereotyped Fascist ruler with an iron fist, love of violence, and kind of deranged. Its really easy to hate the guy.
There is also something to be said about the preservation of innocence. I think I'm becoming to regard it more and more. This film definitely hits that home too. There is a fair amount of religious undertones and metaphors to look for and are beautiful in their own way.
I don't think I am able to recommend that people see this film. It is just so disturbing, I'm not sure how important the disturbing things are to the rest of everything, but the film maker put them there for a reason. Still, there is beauty in the film, and if you want to find it, then you can watch it. Again- I'm not exactly sure what 'target audience' would love this film the most.
5 comments:
This is such a difficult film to comment on. I loved it. Love love loved it. But I don't know who I would recommend it to. And I always preface any recommendation with the warning that there is heaps o' violence. But the beauty and storytelling . . . So good.
It's somewhat like recommending What Dreams May Come. There is so much beauty and storytelling and wonderful acting, but the film is clearly not for everyone.
Ben,
You have some interesting ideas about this film. I like the way you think. It's very clean, clean and objective. I certainly have thought much aboutt his movie. After watching it I did some lengthy research on the Franco-spanish revolution and I have formed some insights into this movie as well. I think if I were to actually write out a blog about it, it would be a discourse. I am far too verbose when it comes to critical analysis. Being a psychology major I dig deep and often find gems that no-one else thinks of. I'd love to banter with you on the subject of this movie sometime. I feel it had much to offer. I highly recomend not seeing this film for entertainment purposes alone. There is nothing superficial about it at all. The movie is deep and twisted, but full of meaning (which you touched on in your blog). The theme of choice was certainly a HUGE deal. Glad you mentioned that. I picked up on the "existential" over-tones. Victor Frankl would be proud of this movie. I think he would be desensitized to the violence (which took me by surprise). I was not ready for the violence. I found the fairy-tale aspects of the movie to be an extreme contrast to the horror or a war-zone. How important was that to the plot? OH, well I have so much more to say about it. Just havne'te ver taken the time to express it, especially since I keep telling people not to see the movie. . lol
Jeromy R
I did see this movie, and wow it was disturbing. I did like the story though… The fantasy was the sort of thing I could see a child making especially one who lives in a traumatic world.
I was left wondering in the end if the fantastic part of the story (the world the girl went to) was supposed to be real or still something that was in her troubled mind.
I like to think that the world she went to was real, and that she did go there even if she did have to die to get there.
In the end I feel your critique of the movie was just.
xr4- I think you missed the point.
I don't critique film.
It was meant to be disturbing
Of course you get to decide if her adventures were real or not.
Please read the 'rating system' posts if this is your first time here.
Ok, cool I get what your blog is about now. Having read your rating system posts it makes a whole lot more sense.
I like the way you use the two systems… It is far more clear what you are getting then with the MPAA
Post a Comment