Devil's Backbone - 7.5

So, it's not Pan's Labyrinth, but it's kind of like that movie exactly like Desperado that came before Desperado. Well, not exactly, Desperado was a remake, and Pan's Labyrinth wasn't, but just consider that opening my obscure film-reviewer way of saying that this movie shares a whole bunch of traits with Del Toro's subsequent masterpiece. It has lots of the same themes, the same focus on children, the same perfect pacing, the great direction and acting. Most importantly, it has the same wonderful other-worldly feel that PL has in such abundance.

Sadly, even though it had a lot in common with its successor, this was nowhere close to as good as Pan's Labyrinth. The main difference was in the visuals. The movie still looks pretty damn good for a relatively low budget film (the undetonated bomb is a wonderful centerpiece), but the special effects in Devil's Backbone are average at best, and the incredible cinematography that tied everything together in Pan's Labyrinth is no where to be found.

So, it's not as good as my favorite movie of the last 10+ years, but that is certainly no crime. The fact that it holds it's own in so many ways is a major accomplishment. All told, I'd say this falls just a little short of "must see", but is definitely well worth your time if you're a Del Toro fan.