Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Inigo Garces, Fernando Tielve
Guillermo del Toro, who quickly became one of the most talked-about directors in contemporary horror films with his first two features, Chronos and Mimic, takes on a more subtle tale of terror with th... read more 
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Release Date: November 21, 2001
DVD Release Date: June 25, 2002
Get It:
Stats: 2,413 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (2,413)
-
February 4, 2012During the Spanish Civil War a boy is unceremoniously deposited at an out of the way delapidated orphanage, and so begins this beautifully photographed drama about the lives that intersect there and how they make their way. Wild cards in the piece are a few bars of hidden gold .... read more
-
October 10, 2011This isn't so much a horror film, as it is a drama with supernatural elements. This was a very fine film. Rarely do we get to see a true ghost story that focuses on the story more than cheap scares. In fact this is more than just a ghost story... this is more like a story that ju... read more
-
March 21, 2011There was an expectation of true horror when I sunk my teeth into this gothic epic about the Spanish American War, but Guillermo del Toro's message was far more complex than ghosts and ghouls. The main theme concerned fear. What is fear, and who should we fear in the end? Not the... read more
-
September 28, 2010this one pulls the strings and pushes the buttons,a horror story that also potently suggests the ways war can shatter childhood !!!!!!!
-
September 2, 2009Great film from del Toro, everything is spot on. The keyhole scene is up there with the best classic horror moments. I wonder if we can expect another Spanish civil war story to complete the trilogy?
-
June 19, 2009In spite of it's suggestive title and the reputation of it's director, Guillermo del Toro, El Espinazo del Diablo is not really a horror film (in the strictest sense). The mysterious spirit that haunts the halls of the Santa Lucia School is much more fascinating than he is... read more
-
May 13, 2009El Espinazo del diablo. Ahhh Spanish Horror, you have to love it. This movie is in Spanish with English Subtitles. This should not affect the overall quality of this film. Time Era during the Spanish Civil War, a young boy is dropped off at an orphanage, where he encounters a gho... read more
-
February 20, 2009I am always surprised how cheaply a life is viewed during a war. This story is told through an orphan's eyes, and although advertised as a horror movie, I didn't see it that way. Sure there is a ghost, but he is trying to help, and the real horror in this movie is greed.
-
August 28, 2008During the Spanish Civil War, a boy deposited at an orphanage must deal with a ghost and the deadlier evil posed by a ruthless war opportunist. Well-characterized and atmospheric pre-hash of themes that would explode in director del Toro's followup, PAN'S LABYRINTH.
-
August 13, 2008Slightly disappointed that it wasn't as scary as I'd hoped it would be, but impressive all the same. The boys were all great actors and the storyline is original.
Another enjoyable film from this Director
Critic Reviews
October 18, 2008
Jonathan Holland, Variety
September 24, 2007
Martin Rubin, Chicago Reader
An entertaining and atmospheric revenge tale. Full Review
July 10, 2002
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
[Del Toro] finds real substance in shadows and whispers, in the terrors that reside at the back of the mind. Full Review
February 7, 2002
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
The chills and suspense and graphic violence are leavened with the horror that comes from knowing the victims -- and knowing they are undeserving of their fate.
January 24, 2002
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Creepy and compelling and beautifully shot.
January 22, 2002
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
[Del Toro] understands how war can bring out the strangeness in people's perceptions; fear, as the patriarch played by Federico Luppi says, makes you see things. Full Review
January 11, 2002
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
It builds, not so much logically as viscerally, until you feel you can't escape.
January 11, 2002
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Let's just say [Del Toro] knows how to create tension. Full Review
January 10, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
A ghost story that's not only evocative and original, it's a pleasure to watch.
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
