In Guillermo Del Toro’s own admission, “The Devil’s Backbone” is the one film that he has directed that has become his own personal favorite among other horror films such “Mimic” and “Cronos” and comic book inspired films such as “Blade 2” and “Hellboy”. “El Espinazo del Diablo” is a Spanish-made, gothic horror film written by Antonio Trashorras, David Munoz, and Del Toro that takes place during the Spanish war in the 1920’s. The film is a haunting tale of human affairs, the politics of a war and the sins of the past.
A young boy named Carlos (Fernando Tielve) arrives at an orphanage located at a remote countryside in Spain where his guardians had abandoned him to live with the rest of the forgotten childhood. (most of whom were orphaned because of the war) Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi) and Carmen (Marisa Paredes) are the owners of the establishment that despite their limited resources, they do their best to shelter the young boys amid the turmoil of war. This is no ordinary orphanage however, as its dark, gloomy halls have creepy tales of a ghost that walks around at night. Carlos finds himself as the focus of the orphanage’s resident specter, a ghost named Santi (Junio Valverde) who is intent on communicating with Carlos. Aligning himself with the other boys in the orphanage, Carlos joins Jaime (Inigo Garces) and the other youngsters to try and find the answer to Santi’s riddle. Meanwhile, the greedy and treacherous Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega) without his fiancés Conchita’s (Irene Visedo) knowledge threatens to destroy the orphanage from within; as Jacinto and his cohorts are interested in the gold hidden in the orphanage.
Del Toro’s film is hauntingly beautifully shot; the film is an atmospheric experience that looks very alluring yet it also looks very ominous. It is fortunate that Del Toro isn’t one director who just happens to rely on style and visual manipulation, he remembers that an intricate storyline is what makes a movie truly matter. The film is abundant in metaphors and subtle use of symbolisms as we see Del Toro exercise his delicate hand in crafting his tale. “The Devil’s Backbone” is a very human story that will sadden, amuse and maybe even scare those who are unfamiliar with the struggles within this Spanish period. Del Toro also exhibits a hand of restraint and brings forth questions as “what is a ghost?” and such words carry a very large significance with its backdrop of the supernatural that is more than just a way to thrill or frighten.
The orphanages’ social politics have references to the struggles of the war itself as it emerges as a appalling analogous to Spain’s political disorder. The undetonated bomb that is left in the orphanages’ grounds is a constant reminder of the threat of chaos and the war reaching the orphanages‘ area. The characters themselves are powerful symbols of the warring political sides while the mystery behind the lingering ghostly entity is something that resonates with Spain’s chaotic disorder as one. The film’s imagery repeats itself on occasion as an exercise to a style in poetry or a fable. This was a clever touch since this horror film traces its origins from fairy tales and romance with a very gothic flair. I loved the way Del Toro manipulates the visuals as if the viewer is watching as an spectator at times, and the camera work mimics the angles of one’s corner of the eye (or as one may call it peripheral vision) during the ghostly sequences.
The film utilizes the use of some CGI especially with the eerie look of ghostly Santi. The outward appearance of our ghost does indeed look very unsettling; he looks like something that was left behind in a inhospitable environment with ghostly droplets of water accompanying Santi. The thing about the story is, as scary as Santi appeared, he is not the film’s main antagonist but rather some of the living are. The visual effects looked very beautiful albeit they maintain a very menacing feel. The humans have their own flaws and are either burdened by pride, greed or lust. Doctor Casara is forced to use a gun to protect his ‘family’ and even the kids are forced to resort to violence. Carmen is an elegant, one-legged woman who still has some sensations of lust even though she is ashamed of her actions. (I guess older women are still into sex after all) I guess this is a way for Del Toro to point out that the living is more to be concerned about than the ghosts of the dead.
The performances in the film are quite good. I found genuine sympathy for the characters even though they are flawed in their own ways. Casara and Carmen are fighting for a political cause in their own way as they store gold for their cause while living on bread and milk most of the time. Carlos despite being the new kid proves to be the more curious and the one who asks the questions. Jaime is the one kid who is the supposed ‘bully’ who has a sensitive side as he is very fond of Conchita. Jaime is one supporting character that has quite a good number of layers. Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega) is one handsome yet despicable individual but has credible reasons to his behavior; he has psychological issues and even for a bad guy, he still manages to get some emotion going. The strengths of the film lie on its portrayal of humanity, it is a supernatural film that almost doesn’t play like a horror film.
“The Devil’s Backbone” one film that belongs in any movie fan’s collection. It is an essential title that can stand with the best of them. The film is well-acted, scripted and brilliantly directed. I guess one flaw I can say about it is that it is just so remarkably simple that it is a little predictable. However, this type of filmmaking is supposed to be enjoyed through the execution of its visual poetry and methodical storytelling. Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Devil’s Backbone” is one truly poignant and compelling tale that one can see that Del Toro’s heart is all over this creation.
Highly Recommended! [4+ Stars]
