or loss of childhood Episode : El laberinto del Fauno
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Year: 2006
Production: Mexico, Spain, USA
Length: 112 minutes
Genre: fantasy / drama
Rating: 8
Set in Spain in 1944 shortly after the end of the English Civil War, the latest film Guillermo del Toro (Blade 2, Hellboy, The Devil's Backbone) tells the story of Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who, moved with his mother Carmen home of her stepfather, Franco's army captain Vidal (Sergi López), suffers for its cold and authoritarian ways. Will thus find refuge in a mysterious labyrinth that has found close to home, where Pan , The magical creature that acts as guardian of the labyrinth, reveals that she is the lost princess of a magical kingdom.
second chapter, after "The Devil's Backbone" of "Trilogy" (although lately they tend to use the term inflazionatistico) great metaphor-Franco Spain, designed by Guillermo Del Toro. The poster
and labels conferred by the same production company (in addition to some criticism) would think of a title proper fantasy and that is why I set about the vision with some reservations. Reserves conditioned by the fact that, especially recently, I have a bit 'of allergy to this kind because, increasingly, we are witnessing the staging of fairy tales especially suited to a public child or adolescent at most, with a disproportionate use of special effects , are ultimately rather sterile in other respects (all compared to the Tolkien saga, directed by Peter Jackson, who will - probably - a unique case of perfect balance).
It was not the case with the relatively recent effort (noticeable, although I personally do not completely successful) of the "Lady in the Water " of Shyamalan and this is even less of Del Toro that, after starting a bit 'hesitant and rhythm too bland, it soon proves a terrible nightmare.
Contrary to what one might imagine, however, the nightmares are not taken from the monsters that inhabit the depths of the earth frequented by little Ophelia, but the men who caused the reality on the level of terror with their Franco dictatorship in Spain. It is here that the film reveals exactly what it is: a drama focusing on civil war and the horrors caused by fascism. The director himself makes no secret of his thoughts: "... fascism is primarily a form of perversion of innocence, and thus of childhood. For me Fascism is in some sense the death of the soul, because it forces you to make painful choices, leaving an indelible mark piercing and profound in those who have lived. "That's the point of view of a young girl becomes the ideal representation of a sort of dichotomy, first direct (with a historical representation), the other in the form of metaphor (with the loss of innocence). Two forms of storytelling that eventually fit together perfectly.
The film is totally divorced from any consideration comforting and adolescent, constantly putting the little star in the middle of tragic situations, the forced to make choices that are not typical of his age, and premature loss of childhood.
The result is a fine example of how to make films of "gender" in a "serious" and dramatic, concedetemelo adult.
The labyrinth is the place (Mythical) where the plot is resolved by calling in an elegant way also Kubrick's Shining, from the point of view of the subject well as figurative, leaving the viewer in suspense and multiplying possible readings.
A ray of light but can not destroy the bursting of the dark tragedy, even with the seductive ambiguity of the final scene.
Review also published on www.scheletri.com (December 2006)
David Battaglia
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