Pan's Labrynth (or, El laberinto del fauno)

Of the triumvirate of Mexican directors taking the world by storm at the moment Guillermo del Toro is certainly the most fantastical. He already has two comic book flicks (Hellboy and Blade II) under his belt along with some other big budget Hollywood fright-fests off the strength of his debut, Cronos. Up until now though, I would have said my favourite of his works was the Spanish gothic-horror The Devil's Backbone. Up until now.

Now I'd have to think about it.

Del Toro's new film, Pan's Labyrinth shares much with its younger brother. Both are set against a backdrop of the Spanish Civil War; both are seen through the eyes of young children in overwhelming situations; and both dip deeply into the world of grotesque, highly-stylised fantasy.

It is that same tried and true story, girl travels with her pregnant mother to remote outpost to be with her new "father" while he hunts down republican guerillas, only to discover that she is really the princess of an underground world. How many times have we heard that one before?

Don't be put off, or dismayed, but the majority of the story takes place in the "real" world. Ofelia's struggle to come to terms with her new life (both real and fantastical) is paralleled by the the struggle of the housekeeper, Mercedes to support her brother and the rebels in the surrounding hills. Maribel Verdu is excellent (yes she has managed to rip herself free from that sex sandwich double dance in Y Tu Mama Tambien to grace the screen again). Actually, all of the cast is top notch but Verdu is a standout.

The beauty of Pan's Labyrinth is that it is not a fairy tale for kiddies. Guillermo is a geek, through and through, so this is more of a masturbatory outing for adults whose inner children have grown up into little freaks. It is gory, at times look-away-from-the-screen gory. The fantasy scenes are quite creepy, especially the monster at the feast.

It isn't a perfect film. The pacing is a little off, there are some unmotivated plot developments and many have criticised the lack of more direct parallels between the two storylines. I can understand the concerns but for me it didn't detract too much from the film as a whole.

Done! See it!

Now, let's get geeky: who would win in a fight between Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone? Hmm. It's a tight match. There'd be two pulpy messes after the bout but I think that The Devil's Backbone would probably win out because it had just a little bit more texture and menace to it. Certainly don't let that stop you from seeing this film. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.