Whilst watching this, you can really see that The Devil's Backbone is like a rough sketch for Del Toro's later, more successful film, Pan's Labyrinth. From the very beginning, with the narrator questioning us what a ghost is, there is an eerie, uneasy atmosphere, and within five minutes of the film you're already asking questions.
The film revolves around the mystery of Santi, the ghost of a schoolboy who mysteriously died not long before Carlos, the main character, joins the poorly-run orphanage in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The Devil's Backbone also dips into thrilling sub-plots involving money, deceit and sexual relationships.
Although it is mainly based on the ghost of Santi and the horrors that surround him, the film gives you a good insight into what being a child during the time of the Civil War was like.
With a storyline that is gripping from beginning to end, twists that you really do not expect and even some pretty horrific gore, this film is a definite must-see, especially for fans of psychological thrillers such as "The Others", "The Orphanage" and "The City of Lost Children".