The Devil's Backbone

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Harrison D. Del toro intertwines a ghost story with the backdrop of the Spanish civil war and doses so excellently. This film made me fall in love with his work. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/22/25 Full Review Robson C Durante a Guerra Civil Espanhola, Carlos, um órfão de 12 anos, é deixado no orfanato comandado por Carmen, que ajuda aos rebeldes. Lá, além do bullying por ser o novato, Carlos fica sabendo sobre um fantasma que aterroriza o local. Guillermo Del Toro faz aqui o que chegaria ao ápice em o Labirinto do Fauno: os horrores da guerra em contraponto ao dito sobrenatural. O filme tem um tom mais juvenil, lembrando o tom de obras literárias onde temos um protagonista órfão e a sua tentativa de ser aceito em um novo grupo, conquistando a todos aos poucos. O orfanato é assombrado, não só pela guerra e pelo fantasma, mas também com uma bomba lançada pela Força Aérea espanhola e não explodiu. Ela vira uma espécie de totem que não protege, como os dos nativos norte-americanos, mas para alertá-los do perigo iminente sempre. O filme tem bons efeitos visuais, tanto em CGI, como no sangue que sai da testa do fantasma, quanto práticos. O elenco é muito bom e dão o suporte necessário para que as verdadeiras estrelas brilhem. No caso, o elenco infantil, principalmente Fernando Tielve, como Carlos, e Íñigo Garcés, como Jaime. A Espinha do Diabo é um conto de terror que mostra que, muitas vezes, a realidade consegue ser mais cruel que o sobrenatural. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Stephen C Meant to scare me in 1 hour and 46 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Violence, Some Sexuality and Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Latin American Spanish and American English audio versions with American English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $754,700.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Mason M 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. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/28/25 Full Review Connor J 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. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/08/24 Full Review Wayne K 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. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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