August 02, 2007

Children of Men, Babel, and Pan's Labyrinth

Review by Joshua Massre

At first glance, these three movies seem to not have much in common, but in fact they are all intertwined with one another. All three of the movies, which were released in 2006, were made by three Mexican filmmakers who have penetrated into the Hollywood Studio System and released major critically, if not financially successful films.

Children of Men

The first of the three films, Children of Men, was directed and co-written by Alfonso Cuaron and based on a novel by noted science fiction author, P.D. James. Cuaron, one of the most gifted directors in Hollywood today, crafts a story of the future in which women are infertile and the youngest person in the world is just 18 years old. The story revolves around a pregnant young woman and her attempts to keep safe from the Government and those who wish to do her harm. The world in which she lives is devoid of all hope. The film is set in 2027, yet it feels as if it could be today. This is one of the stronger points. Cuaron immerses us into this world, subtly blending futuristic elements into objects that feel as if they belong in today’s world (Hint: look carefully at the car dash in the chase scene). Yet the thing that immerses viewers the most into Cuaron’s world is not the visual aspect of the film, but the film’s star, Clive Owen. Owen delivers a powerhouse performance and it is a shame that he was not nominated for an Oscar. Julianne Moore and the supporting cast (including a fabulous Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Cane) also deliver strong performances. As the film progresses, the shots (the time between cuts) get longer and longer. The final climactic battle of the film (which lasts for almost twelve minutes) is done in one continuous shot and took three takes to get exactly right. The result is one of those rare moments in which everything comes together to make a powerful and compelling piece of cinema.

Pan's Labyrinth

The next film from Mexico may not be as high profile as the other two, but it was just as critically praised and was nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. Guillermo del Toro’s El Laberinto del Fauno (released as Pan’s Labyrinth in American theaters) is a dark and twisted fairy tale. It is set against the background of the fascist rule of Spain in 1944. Del Toro’s superb screenplay and direction are so imaginative and colorful that the screen is lit up even during scenes of nighttime. The main character, a young girl named Ofelia meets the mysterious Pan (the titular character), who tells her she is the princess of a lost kingdom and that she must go on three quests to be able to return home. While the roots of this film are in the fantasy genre and much of it takes place inside the mind, it is a powerful and realistic film. The acting in the movie is fantastic, as it is in all of Guillermo del Toro’s films. Doug Jones, a veteran of two of del Toro’s movies (Hellboy and The Devil’s Backbone) plays the dual roles of Pan and the Pale Man. The Pale Man is arguably one of the creepiest and most disturbing characters in modern cinema. The stand out of this movie, however, is the special effects. Many of the effects are practical ones, meaning that they were not done on the computer but on set. This makes a big difference, as the actors are interacting with the objects instead of just staring at the spot where they should be. Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the most imaginative and fantastic films to come out of Hollywood in years, but it seems so grounded that you have no trouble believing that the characters are real. The ultimate effect of the film is so strong that a few days after viewing the film, you will still be thinking about it.

Babel

The final film to come from a Mexican director this year is Babel. This was the most high profile of the three films, yet it came from the least known of the three directors, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Babel is a story of how one event can change the course of so many people’s lives. After his wife is shot on a tour bus, Richard (Brad Pitt) must get her help as soon as possible or she will die. The only one problem, however, is that they are in the middle of the Moroccan desert. As they try to make their way to help, the story of three other families is told in intertwining segments. The most outstanding part of the film is its cinematography. The Director of Photography, Rodrigo Prieto, has worked with directors such as Spike Lee and Oliver Stone. Each of the different settings (the Moroccan desert, Mexico, Japan and California) was lit and shot in a different way. Each location also uses a different film stock, giving them all a different feeling and sense of emotion. Most of the actors and actresses in the film are unknown, but they all deliver knockout performances. Adriana Barraza was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Inarritu makes the film come together for a powerful and satisfying conclusion that will leave you wanting more.

It is interesting to note that Alfonso Cuaron is an executive producer on Pan’s Labyrinth and that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is serving as executive producer on Cuaron’s next project. Each of these films is linked by the shared heritage of their directors. It is odd that in a single year three such high profile films from foreign directors made their way to American screens. What is truly amazing is the power that each film packs into its short running time. Babel and Children of Men are now available on HD DVD and DVD. Pan’s Labyrinth is available on only on DVD and no plans have been announced to release it on HD DVD or Blu-Ray.

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