The Devil's Backbone

Del Toro's best film and a wonderful companion piece to Pan's Labyrinth, both in terms of motifs and themes and a rather depressing narrative connection concerning the fates of two central characters from this film. As a film in it's own right, this combines elements of a Gothic ghost story and coming of age drama set during the Spanish Civil War. The opening prologue questioning what a ghost is indicates from the beginning that this is not simply out to scare people and del Toro subverts expectations from the initial setup as the story takes unexpected turns, pulls no punches in showing where the true horror lies and develops each character in interesting ways during the story. The film is beautifully shot and designed with the cool atmospheric and creepy night time scenes contrasting with the warm yet harsh arid daytime moments. All the performances are great, but in particular the young Fernando Tielve as the central protagonist portraying a quiet resolve and bravery despite his fears.

A really atmospheric fantasy horror. It's not a typical ghost story. Guillermo del Toro does a good job with the story and pacing.

Not scary in the traditional sense, but the themes and deeper layers are chilling. It’s very unconventional and unpredictable, there isn’t a moment where I knew where it was going. I also have to give major props to the young cast, these are some of the best child performances I’ve ever seen. All the characters are very well fleshed out, cinematography is amazing, the practical effects look great. My only problem is that the janitor character can feel a little cartoony and probably needed a stronger motivation, especially when you consider how much nuance is given to all the other characters.

8/10

Guillermo del Toro is right when it came to Hollywood's portrayal of kids in movies with "children as happy, brainless creatures that spout one-liners." The same goes to the tired praise of "the accurate portrayal" of kids who swear and make crude banter, because "omg that's what kids totally do and say".

However, what I feel is missing from a lot of these movies is just how vulnerable and how unsafe it is to be a child. Where the chances of experiencing trauma and being ignored lies in certainty.

And I think del Toro captured that effectively.

Image 3.75 / 4.25 5 Sound / 5 very stylish Guillermo del Toro, Eduardo Noriega restless than the bomb

Del Toro simply knows how to create atmosphere. From the very first minute, the orphanage, somewhere in the dusty Spanish nowhere, feels like a place where memories hang like cobwebs. Everything looks magnificent – camera, lighting, setting – as if everything had been passed through a melancholic filter. The man just understands staging. There's a painterly quality to it all, but one that always hints at rot beneath the surface.

What makes this film stand out, even among Del Toro’s earlier work, is that careful blend of fairytale symbolism and grounded political reality. The Devil's Backbone is set in the dying days of the Spanish Civil War, and in his hands, that’s never just a backdrop. The time seeps into everything: the crumbling architecture, the wary eyes of the adults, the way even the children seem shaped by loss and silence. It’s history as haunting, not exposition.

That said – and maybe this is where I drifted – it didn’t fully hold me. Somewhere along the way, the emotional thread slipped. Maybe it’s because the film spreads itself across too many layers. It wants to be a ghost story, a coming-of-age tale, and a political parable all at once. And while many see that as a strength (and I kind of get it), it left me feeling more distanced than immersed.

The ghost of Santi is what stayed with me the most. The whispering presence, the blood that floats like smoke from his wound – unforgettable imagery. But his story, the actual “backbone,” felt strangely sidelined. I understand Del Toro’s broader focus – on greed, betrayal, the lingering scars of war – but part of me wished the film had let Santi’s tragedy be the emotional core instead of just its echo.

Still, it’s hard not to admire the film. The visual language is so specific, so full of intent. There’s a quiet confidence here that points toward the Del Toro of Pan’s Labyrinth and beyond. But unlike Pan, this one didn’t quite pierce me in the same way.

A film full of potent images and ideas – it just didn’t take me all the way. But I can see why, for many, it already does.

Carlos has to go to the orphanage because his dad dies in war. Soon after his arrival he meets the ghost of another orphan who died recently. More drama than horror but some nice pictures, decent acting and interesting way to tackle at the subject "ghost story".

Honestly, it didn't do it for me. It was very meh and some of the acting was very questionable. I don't regret seeing it but I just had higher expectations I guess

The original title of the film is El espinazo del diablo.