Pan’s Labyrinth

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
(written by): Guillermo del Toro

Ivana Baquero …    Ofelia
Sergi López …           Vidal
Maribel Verdú …     Mercedes
Doug Jones …            Fauno
Álex Angulo …          Doctor
Roger Casamajor …Pedro
Ariadna Gil …           Carmen

Pan’s Labyrinth is a carefully crafted blend of real-world life in the home/ military compound of a sadistic captain, and the dark fairy tale underworld that reaches out to the 11 year old Ofelia. Set in the countryside of Spain in 1944, the movie opens with Carmen and her daughter Ofelia being driven to the the compound of her new husband, Captain Vidal. Carmen is pregnant and not well, it is clear from the first time he appears on screen, that his only interest with Camen is as a vessel for his soon to be born son. Her daughter, Ofelia, from her prior marriage to a now dead tailor; it at best an annoyance to the captain.

In 1944 Spain was authoritarian state with Franco as it’s undisputed leader, and Captain Vidal was his enforcer and unrelenting hunter of rebel forces and It is difficult to recall any character in film history, so devoid of a single redeeming quality. He sits in stark contrast to other principle