This was my second Guillermo del Toro film, my first one was Cronos, which I absolutely hated. But this film just blew me away. It's a haunting ensemble character study about war, but more about that feeling of being trapped on the outskirts, being a ghost, and this was one of the better depictions of that feeling I've seen on screen. The film had a great balance between thrilling sequences that had me on the edge of my seat, and heartbreaking relationships between characters. The photography was simply stunning, and the imagery was beautifully done. And the kids were great in the film, their performances and characters felt believable and like kids I could've really known. This was a simply amazing and heartbreaking film.

Guillermo del Toro has such a way of making the most evil villains, and perfectly builds his characters so that you care about them. Loved this one.

A few years ago, I decided to check out Pan's Labyrinth, one of Guillermo Del Toro's most famous and acclaimed films. With a potent blend of frightening imagery, heavy stakes and a dangerous, intimidating villain, it was a more than worthwhile experience. The Devil's Backbone, released 5 years earlier, feels like both a companion piece and trial run. Both are set during the Spanish Civil War, both feature a child as the lead, and both demonstrate the classic trope of human beings as the real monsters. TDB is, however, a inferior film in my eyes. The dialogue is less compelling, the villain isn't as memorable or effective, despite great work by Eduardo Noriega, and the story overall just doesn't hit the same. There's clear references to the war going on around, but it never feels as close as it does in Pan's Labyrinth. At times I even forgot it was happening. The ghost element is interesting, but it rarely feels scary since the characters have to go to it in order for anything to happen. The character development is probably the best element, as we see the children trapped by tragic circumstance, having to mature early and take on adult responsibilities. All things considered, The Devil's Backbone feels like something Del Toro made to test the waters, to see if something as ambitious as Pan's Labyrinth was actually possibly before he got the greenlight to make it. TDB has its moments, but more often than not I felt disconnected from it. Given the choice between them, I'd take PL any day.

Frustrated with meddling from Hollywood studios, in 2001 Guillermo del Toro decided to make an independent film based on a script he had begun in his film student days. The Devil's Backbone served as a trial run for Pan's Labyrinth, focusing on a child dealing with supernatural forces and human monsters against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. What stands out from the beginning, however, is this film's Hollywood look: the actors are all a bit too prettified, the lighting is too attractively balanced, and the camerawork too daintily precise for the film's gritty, chaotic setting. So while attempting to break free of Hollywood's influence in this independent film, del Toro still seems afraid to express himself freely, and keeps falling back on the usual Hollywood tropes to make his points. He also loves his special effects too much, and the interesting appearance he has conjured for the ghost boy quickly becomes an unscary distraction, as does the director's fascination with the stump of the head mistress's missing leg and watching her strap on her 1930s prosthesis. Then there is the plot, involving a boy placed in an isolated orphanage who meets a ghost boy seeking revenge on his murderer. Del Toro likes to say that the worst monsters are human, and this film has two: Jacinto, the orphanage's psychopathic caretaker intent on stealing gold hidden at this otherwise impoverished place (it is being saved to fund the Loyalist fighters); and the unnamed General Franco, by far the worst monster as he wages war on his own people, and the film's main characters are his victims as much as Jacinto's. Franco's presence is signified in the aerial bomb stuck vertically into the ground of the orphanage's courtyard, where it had landed without exploding. Most viewers will know too little about the horrors of the Spanish Civil War to appreciate del Toro's references to it, however. This seems like a practice film, and it rings as hollow as Franco's empty bomb, while even its finer moments have a calculated, we've-seen-this-before quality. Making it may have served a purpose for del Toro's development as a director, but it does not work well for viewers.

Tough watch in late October 2023 with everything going on in the Middle East. The horrific impact of war on its youngest victims is a timeless tale. Executed to perfection by one of favorite auteurs, Guillermo del Toro. Muy bien!

The Devil's Backbone ist ein spanisch-mexikanisch co-produzierter Horrorfilm von Guillermo del Toro und Pedro Almodóvar… Nach dem Carlos - ein Zwölfjähriger, dessen Vater im spanischen Bürgerkrieg gestorben ist - in einem ominösen Jungen Waisenhaus ankommt, entdeckt er, dass die Schule verflucht ist und viele dunkle Geheimnisse hat, die er aufdecken muss… Eine solide Geistergeschichte, die sich eher in Mystery, Thriller, Drama und Horror einordnen lässt, denn der Film ist eher ein Horrorfilm der ruhigeren Art, der auf eine bedrohliche Atmosphäre setzt… Eine perfekte und authentisch inszenierte Geschichte, eindringlich und in schöne Bilder gesetzt… Ein immer wieder sehenswerter Film, den ich zu meinen Klassikern zähle.

The Spanish Horror Drama refuses to be easily categorized with its lack of horror that it claims to have, but lacks. With Compelling performances from talented actors, this movie was an emotional ride. However, the story itself may not have captured my full attention. It is understandable that not every tale resonates equally with every viewer, and in the case of "The Devil's Backbone," it may have fallen slightly short in terms of engaging storytelling. Though the film's visual aspects are commendable, the plot might have lacked what it needed to keep me engrossed. This movie was an excellent drama, but a disappointing horror movie.

The movie would've likely benefited had it not included the ghost (Junio Valverde) at all and instead had his death be a mysterious pall that hangs over the all-boys orphanage. As a ghost, Santi (Valverde) does that irritating thing all ghosts seemed to do as if contractually obligated, which is slowly revealing themselves to the living in the creepiest ways, for no reason whatsoever. Moreover, the supernatural elements were inconsistent, as ghost-Santi cannot "get to" our protag, Carlos (Fernando Tielve), because the orphan has hidden himself behind a locked door. Santi is a fucking ghost! It's 2001, so the CGI has a lot to be desired — luckily, Del Toro doesn't rely too heavily on it. Pan's Labyrinth, made only five years later (and with a much bigger budget), feels like it comes from an entirely different era. The RT is a shocking (93/89), so I'm an outlier here, but there aren't enough redeeming qualities here for me to recommend it. It's difficult for me not to enjoy a movie set during the Spanish Civil War. Skip it.

Interesting, but too hard to watch with only English subtitles. Had I not read about it beforehand mostly would have been lost.

It's a pretty basic ghost story and that's about it; the kind that someone may have told sitting by a campfire. There are no twists and turns and no real mystery, everything is pretty straightforward. I could see everything coming a mile away. Would only recommend to those who are ghost story fanatics.

Writer-director Guillermo del Toro, at one of his early feats, managed to tell an effective atmospherically chilling ghost story with eventual humane connection, while many other filmmakers gone on lazy presentation that only serve to unnaturally scare without transitional creativity nor heft. What furthers his vision is branching out thematically and symbolically poetic that ranks equally for the purpose of resonating empathetic connections with the characters while wonders in curiosity towards the meaningful role. Everything on writing with reliance got further elevated by nice performances embodying relevant aspects from natural impressions to connectively strengthened needs, just to get through the story by humble growth. The label's horror, but only by visceral craft ruled generically that generated chills then shares along the hardening narrative journey when the storyteller only focused on within rather caringly, proving scaring the listener/viewer isn't always the main tactic for these stories of potential intrigue. (B+)

This is a solid ghost story. The visuals are fantastic, with those signature Del Toro colors throughout. The story is also very good. It is not a very scary film, though it does not need to be. It is a good suspenseful drama with some horror elements and suspense mixed in.

This movie caused something of a dilemma for me. I have a strong desire to treat foreign language movies the same as I do English ones in that I want to make sure I've seen all the noteworthy ones, but at the same time there's a very real difference in viewing effort when you have to give the screen your undivided attention so as not to miss any subtitles. That difference creates a lot of frustration for me because this movie adventure is one that I'm only really doing as a way to spend time with my wife and I feel bad asking her for the extra attention necessary for a foreign movie that ends up being absolutely mediocre. They took the plot of 1980's The Changeling and had it play out within the initial setting of Morbius... neither of those movies were very good and this one is not any better. I did like the film score, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed much else. Seeing that Roger Ebert compared this "favorably" to The Others, an objectively fantastic film, is disappointing because I truly don't believe I missed anything here. I really hope Pan's Labyrinth is better.

The Devil's Backbone is a well-acted and great mellow horror movie directed by Guillermo del Toro. Released in 2001, this movie takes place during the Spanish Civil War when the boy of a Republican soldier is sent to an orphanage by his tutor after his father died in the war. Little does the boy, Carlos, know, that this orphanage is haunted by the ghost of a boy named Santi. Santi, an orphan boy, was killed by the caretaker, Jacinto, after entering a basement room with a pool. Jacinto threw him against a wall and then drowned him. Carlos was warned by Santi many times that they would all die but never any more detail. One day, Jacinto blew up the orphanage using kerosene around the orphanage, killing countless and injuring many more. The surviving orphans were then locked in a closet while Jacinto looked for the gold he was convinced was hidden on the property. The boys managed to escape with the help of the ghost Santi and armed themselves with sharpened sticks. Luring Jacinto into the open area next to the pool, all the boys attacked at once, stabbing and cutting Jacinto to the brink of death. Just as he was about to die they threw him into the pool, finally giving Santi what he wanted, to kill Jacinto the same way Jacinto killed him. This movie was acted with great passion and did a fantastic job of keeping the audience intrigued the whole time. I would recommend this movie to anyone and everyone.

Me gustó mucho la película porque es mas una película de tristeza en vez de una película de horror. El Espinazo del Diablo, que es directo por Guillermo del Torro, fue publicado en el año 2001. Este película es un mexcla de horror, drama y misterio Esta película se trata de una escuela/orfanato para los niños que perdido a sus padres durante la guerra civil en España. Se lanzó una bomba gigante sobre el orfanato, pero nunca explotó. Después de que un niño nuevo se une al orfanato, comienzan a suceder cosas extrañas. Esto incluye conocer a un fantasma que acecha el orfanato. Sentí que el tono de la película era triste. Esta película me pareció más triste que aterradora. El comienzo de la película se sintió aburrido, pero al final, estás sentando en el borde de tu asiento esperando lo que sigue. El final de la película definitivamente fue más alegre pero aún tenia ese sentimiento de tristeza. Recomendaria esta película a cualquiera que no le gusten las películas extremadamente espeluznantes. Esta película puede retratar una película de horror con muchos elementos diferentes, como giros en la trama.

El espinazo del diablo es una película fantástica que si recomiendo verlo. Fue dictado por Guillero del Toro en el año 2001. Se basa durante la guerra civil de España. La película tiene aspectos de terror, tristeza, y el tono es melancólico. La película captura los temas de guerra, pobreza, código y elementos de fantasía. Hay muchas variaciones de personajes, los orfanatos que no tienen mucho, los hombres que solo quieren el oro, y los personajes que son buenos pero es difícil ver eso al principio. La película trata de un niño que fue abandonado en el orfanato. Necesitaba navegar las opiniones de otros niños y el sentimiento extraño del lugar. "El que suspira" agregó muchos elementos importantes sobre las lecciones y temas en la película. Finalmente, recomiendo este película a los adultos y niños y pueden aguantar fantasmas y sangre.

For anyone expecting a horror movie or, for that matter, a ghost story, Guillermo Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone will probably prove to be a disappointment. Others, however, will enjoy this early offering from the Mexican auteur. Set in an orphanage in a remote part of Spain during the Spanish Civil War, the story centers around a cache of gold used to fund the resistance against Francisco Franco's ruthless regime. More political than frightening (there is, in fact, a ghost and a considerable amount of gore), the film focuses on the resolve required to resist an oppressive military power. It is stylish, as one would expect from Del Toro, with plenty of creative camera shots, a sepia-toned tint that accentuates the arid environment, and creative lighting and effects. It does seem to meander a bit at times, but it remains an impressive early effort from the master.

Para amantes de los fantasmas. El espinazo del diablo es una película estrenada en el año 2001 y dirigida por Guillermo del Toro, es una película situada en la guerra civil española que tiene como protagonista a un grupo de niños huérfanos que buscarán resolver el misterio del orfanato, por momentos la película se siente lenta y sientes que no pasa nada mientras que hay momentos que hay momentos que sientes que todo pasa muy rápido, la película nunca logra un ambiente de suspenso o terror, lo más rescatable son los personajes que a pesar de casi no tener desarrollo son interesantes, tal vez no te importe que pase con ellos pero sin duda logran el objetivo de entretener, para terminar cabe decir que recomiendo la película si te gustan los fantasmas ya que te ara que los veas de distinta manera.

El Espinazo del Diablo dirigido por Guillermo del Toro como todos sus peliculas te gustara. Esta pelicula te hara preguntar ¿Que es un fantasma? La pelicula salio en el año 2001 y se basa en España durante la guerra de los republicanos y los nacionalistas en la cual Carlos fue dejado en la escuela (orfanato) por su tutor sin saber que había muerto su padre. Ahi conoce a Jaime, al principio no se llevaron bien pero al final terminaron siendo buenos amigos. Al igual conoce el fantasma de Santi, un niño que fue asesinado por Jacinto durante un acto de furia. Su espíritu ayuda a poder deshacerse de Jacinto por venganza y por como causo una explosion en el orfanato matando a todos los adultos y algunos niños. Verdaderamente si tienes la oportunidad de ver esta película, agarra tus palomitas y disfruta.

El Espinazo del Diablo es una película de horror y miseria buenisima. Es directo por Guillermo del Toro, publicado en 2001. A mi me gusto esta película mucho. Esta película es sobre un orfanato de niños que perdieron sus padres del guerra civil de españa. Cuando Carlos llega al orfanato un niño desaparecido llamado Santi que es una fantasma empieza hablar a los niños. Cuando los maestros decide ir del orfanato el hombre que mató a Santi se enoja y decide explotar sail orfanato y mata dos maestros y muchos de los niños. Al final los niños matan a Jacinto(el hombre que mató a Santi). A mi me gusto esta pelicula porque tenía una historia buena. También los actores hicieron un buen trabajo. En conclusión, me gusto esta pelicula mucho.