The Devil's Backbone

The start of the Spanish rule over horror from the beginning of the 21st century. No more, no less. (12/30/2010)

If del Toro had been content with a worn-out ghost plot, the Prince would not only be without a kingdom, but also considerably impoverished. Not that the horror part of the film lacks tension; on the contrary, it is built very sympathetically slowly, without unnecessary jump scares and disgust. However, after a while one finds out that it is simply going to be nothing more than a classic ghost story about the revenge of a wandering soul... Enough for a movie, not enough for a good movie. Fortunately, in addition to the familiar bottom, The Devil's Backbone also has a very nice top in the form of the functioning chemistry of the characters and great acting by both the children and the adults. The ghost passages alternate with rather dramatic parts, depicting an unhappy life in a depressed orphanage and the relationships of the individual characters. The director proved himself to have a very good feel for detail and for the spoken word (by the way, the Czech dubbing is surprisingly excellent). The Santa Lucía Orphanage thus does not act as a necessary backdrop for a terrifying ghost story, but as a living and equal partner of the horror part of the film. The result is therefore uniquely balanced, compact and honest. And, of course, quite individual. (05/02/2006)

Visually impressive and the script isn't too shabby either, but this type of film stands and falls with atmosphere, and I found it desperately lacking here. (07/09/2004)

Del Toro is the man! The Devil's Backbone may not reach the quality of the newer Pan's Labyrinth, but it is a nearly flawless spectacle. Yes, a spectacle above all, because especially the cinematography and direction are magnificent. The story may be B-movie (as is usual with Guillermo), but the way it is presented makes it a real atmospheric treat. I was a bit sorry maybe that it didn't escalate more towards the end. (04/24/2010)

For me it’s somewhere between three and four stars. Guillermo is not only a very talented and versatile filmmaker, but also a great experimenter whose horror films are made with a completely different technique than the rest. The Devil's Backbone is very interestingly crafted, cleverly set in a remote and dark location, and favourably skewed towards both ghost horror fans and more discerning viewers who also want to see something new once in a while. The story doesn't really lend itself to the label "horror", which is is an important and connecting element of the film, but most of the time it’s overlaid by the fate of the protagonists, who have to deal not only with the mysterious place and the ghost, but mainly with themselves. And that's exactly what I liked about the film: no cheap scares or annoying clichés, but original and interesting filmmaking with unpredictable developments and a fairly meaningful script, which is increasingly rare in the genre. Considering how ordinary the premise is, Del Toro pulled off almost a miracle. (04/27/2013)

Fantastic cinematography, work with the given space and its "mythology" (the bomb in the yard), and excellent performances by the child actors demonstrate how easily horror can break out of the trashy box. A gem. (11/24/2011)

I really enjoyed this, even though I didn’t consider it a horror film. I didn't feel any fear or get goosebumps in critical moments. Nevertheless, the atmosphere of the film was perfect, the theme brilliant, the creators excellently transferred it into the world of moving pictures, and even the little water guy was great. (10/28/2020)