The Devils Backbone Movie Review

     The film opens in the middle of the Spanish civil war in the 1930’s. Carlos is a plucky child traveling with a marauding group of freedom fighters who are unaware that his father has perished in battle. Without any desire to keep the young child, they dump him in a run down orphanage in the middle of the desert.

     It is not long before the shy, comic book addicted Carlos falls in with the children at the orphanage, particularly the more mature Jamie. At first, Jamie is a bully, leading the rest of the children into pulling a prank on poor Carlos. However, soon Jamie and Carlos bond over their mutual fear of a ghostly presence at the orphanage, a deceased child with decayed skin and sunken eyes known only as "the one who sighs."

     Dealing with these children are caretakers Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi) and Conchita (Irene Visedo). The elderly lovers are at wits with themselves over the dwindling funds for their poor orphanage. Dr. Casares feels that caring for the children is payment enough, but greed takes over the bitter Conchita, who walks with a prosthetic leg. Complicating matters is a hunky nomad named Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega) who offers his services  to both the orphanage and the sex-starved Conchita.

     The child performers are magnificent. Fernando Tielve is a revelation as the brave but lonely Carlos. His marble-sized eyes reflect an unnatural intelligence for such a young person, and it helps when he needs to deal with the pressure of fitting in. Inigo Garces is also impressive as the belligerent Jamie.

     "The Devil’s Backbone" builds an atmosphere of dread and pain in every scene. The film has a gathering of the clouds feel, to the point that the third act cataclysm is strikingly effective and painful. Del Toro concentrates not on boo scares, nor does he utilize any clever twist to a story that entirely relies on mystery (who is "the one who sighs"?). Instead, the focus is on characters. Particularly fascinating is to watch the transformation of Jamie from a bitter bully into an ally within a few screen minutes.

     Packed to the brim with chilling imagery and performances of sincerity and heat, "The Devil’s Backbone" is an engaging, poetic horror masterpiece. Earlier this year, Del Toro filled his sensationally violent "Blade 2" with complex ideas, and chillingly effective atmosphere. He’s two for two

Editors Note: Gabe Toros review, thanks again for another great review Gabe.