Recently, director Guillermo del Toro made a name for himself by helming the adequate though successful sequel “Blade II,” a decidedly artsy but still gory vampire fest starring Wesley Snipes. His rabid fans may have expected more, given his notable work in the cult fave “Cronos” and in the spine-chilling ghost story, “The Devil’s Backbone.”
Co-written by del Toro and Antonio Trashorras, “Backbone” takes place largely in one Spanish orphanage and school for wayward boys. Some scenes venture outside the confines, but the action always draws us back to this desolate locale. The young protagonist, Carlos (Fernando Tielve), gets left behind there, where headmaster Carmen and his fellow patrons mentor him. The longer Carlos stays at the orphanage, though, the more he learns about “The One Who Sighs,” the ghost of a child who holds the key to the dark secrets behind his untimely disappearance.In “Backbone,” del Toro successfully uses the cramped confines of the orphanage and some tried-but-true spooks to craft an effectively creepy ghost thriller. His film draws comparisons to the recent “The Others,” more for its use of shadow and spacing to manipulate mood. However, del Toro reveals his cards a bit too soon, showing us his ghost and detailing its back-story. While ruining some of its scarier elements, this tactic doesn’t break del Toro’s “Backbone” but rather place too much emphasis on the film’s thin political subplot, embodied by the marauders who violently storm the orphanage in time. Grade: BTHE EXTRASAs packaged by Columbia TriStar, the “Backbone” DVD offers a few features that accompany a pristine audio and video transfer.Of note, del Toro sits for a screen-specific audio commentary track. His cinematographer, Guillermo Navarro, whose stark color palate adds dimension to “Devil”, joins him. Two Guillermo’s for the price of one, to boot. Who can complain?From a production standpoint, Columbia includes a 130minute “Making Of” featurette, as well as several storyboard-to-screen comparisons. Grade: COVERALL EXPERIENCE: B-While the extras are thin, it’s just nice to have this DVD on hand. When coupled with “The Others” for a creature feature, these films will have your date leaping in your lap – whether that date is male or female!By Sean O’ConnellJuly 16, 2002