Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth is a very odd movie. It’s essentially the story of a young girl named Ophelia living in post-Franco Spain in 1944, whose mother – through necessity – marries a brutal fascist army captain. After moving to the captain’s rural posting, where he’s involved with stamping out a local resistance group, she discovers a labyrinth in the woods behind the house.
In the labyrinth, Ofelia meets a fantasy creature who hints that she’s not just a little girl like any other, but is the reincarnation of the princess of the fairy kingdom and, through performing several tasks, can reclaim her throne and “real” family.
As the brutal excesses of the captain grow, so do the outlandish escapes in the fantasy world. Is the world of the labyrinth an entirely fictional construct, made to escape the grim reality of her life, or is it something more real? Events in the fantasy world leave a mark on the real world and vice versa.
This is a movie which, like all the best movies, demands discussion and interpretation.
July 5, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I made my final interpretation in this post.
Warning. Spoilers lie ahead albeit cleverly disguised in white on white text 🙂