The Devil's Backbone (2001)

Warning: it is not a horror movie. This is a very sad drama/fantasy movie about civil war, corruption of human nature, greed, lust, weakness, childhood in a volatile situation. The story takes place in an orphanage. In this case the orphanage is cut off from the rest of the world and is far away from the local town. The cinematography adds to the alternating loneliness and claustrophobia. The highlight of this movie is the story and amazing acting by the child actors. The last time I saw such acting was in Stand by me n Lord of the flies. Eduardo Noriega (Eli roth's look alike ) is memorable as greedy Jacinto."Never fear the dead. Fear the living. They are the real danger." ~Guillermo del Toro.

When I started watching The Devil's Backbone, I had no clue of how great the movie would prove to be. The story of the film is that a young boy Carlos, whose father has recently died in Spanish Civil War in 1939, is brought in an orphanage and school run by a kind old lady Carmen who has a love interest on a school doctor named Dr. Casarus. Moreover, there is a sadistic caretaker of the school named Jacinto who was a former student of in the orphanage and has a fiancé Conchita. Soon after arriving in, Carlos meets the school bully Jamie and other friends and also the school ghost. He sees that there is a bomb in the courtyard of the school intact which was diffused a day after it fell during which according to many children in the orphanage a boy named Santi disappeared. Now there are further events set to occur in the orphanage in the coming days that may change all the boys and teachers' lives forever.I found the first half of the film to be very gripping, entertaining and quite spooky, thanks to the excellent direction, cinematography, editing, performances and musical score. I became curious to know what will happen next as the story is extremely unpredictable! This made the film brilliant.I was absorbed into the film in the very first half. By the beginning of the second half, the film became very intense and more than a mere supernatural horror flick and I found myself connected to all the characters, a quality which a perfect movie must possess. By this time, I didn't care about the technical aspects of the film as I was deeply connected with the characters and their interactions with the situation they have fallen in. I cheered for the characters as they underwent a development. This whole part including the climax and the ending made the film a masterpiece.The film works on various levels from a potential ghost story to political aspects to psychological depth of the characters to the effects of war on children.Overall, the film is a 21st Century Horror, wait not Horror, a Supernatural Political War Drama Masterpiece.

The Spanish Civil War is coming to an end and Carlos is placed in an orphanage after his father died in battle fighting for the Republicans.Carlos finds it difficult to feel comfortable in his new home, partly due to unpleasant characters within the orphanage and his new school but also because of the presence of a ghost known as Santi. A ghost haunts the inhabitants, bringing chaos and seeking revenge on its killer.Great cinematography and good plot but the storyline is poorly told by the film. It is difficult to care about or believe in any of the characters and some of the events don't fit smoothly into the overall narrative.

It's a lot like "What Lies Beneath" and "The Orphanage." It's a bit of a mystery, mixed with drama of the war and its effects on a poor orphanage for young boys. One in particular whom we follow, Carlos, is new and begins to suspect that the orphanage is haunted. There isn't a lot to criticize here, yes it may be predictable and dry at times, but it's well put together with an eerie setting. Personally, as a horror fan, I'm a bit disappointed in the movie. But as del Toro fan, and a cinematic fan in general, I was well satisfied with the movie. Its harsh reality and ghost theme helps set the somber mood, and no complaints about the actors either, everybody did a convincing job in their roles. Great movie, go see it if you like mystery, drama, and yeah, even horror, why not.