@Hank Melluish said:

First of all, I loved the movie. Saw it 3 nights in a row, and loved pretty much everything about it. That doesn't mean everything is clear. Early on in the film, Lockhart hobbles into the steam baths to look for Pembroke and goes deeper and deeper before seeing a deer in the steam. Is this a labyrinth/Minotaur metaphor of some sort? I didn't REALLY understand the connection.

I took it to be a reference to the deer being the catalyst for him getting, figuratively, lost since he was, at that moment, lost in the steam baths. I also thought the steam itself was like the fog of deceit that obscured the true nature of the place and it's residents.

The labyrinth thought is pretty good too though.

Thanks for the help. I'd say regardless, this movie got a raw deal. It was too smart for mainstream audiences.

Agreed. Brilliant film, so surprised how low it has been rated, both here, in reviews, and on IMDb. I loved it, and I'll be recommending it to everyone I know!