MovieChat Forums > El espinazo del diablo (2001) Discussion > What a stupid film

What a stupid film

posted 12 years ago by pascals_wager
19 replies | jump to latest

I'm going to be totally honest; I hated this film. If Guillermo del Toro hadn't written and directed it, I'm sure many others would have agreed.

My main problems lie in the script. First of all, it's boring. Nothing really happens. The scenes with the ghost are underwhelming; there's absolutely nothing creepy about them. Most of the scenes which are supposed to be tense are also quite plodding.

The worst part of the film has to be the characters. Carmen and Dr. Casares are imbeciles who run around the orphanage like headless chickens, leaving Jacinto to do whatever he wanted. It was silly how easily Jacinto was able to break into the orphanage and casually pour petrol all over the place.

Speaking of Jacinto, I think he was the most unconvincing villain ever. Sure he wanted the gold, but his actions were far too extreme. He had little motive to cause as much destruction as he did, and his irrational hatred of everyone was silly. It just felt like he suddenly turned into a stereotypical villain in a split-second, and for the rest of the film he was trying to kill everyone else.

Also, the fact that Jaime did not expose Santi's murder is unrealistic. Sure he may have been scared of Jacinto, but when has that ever stopped anyone? It was all too convenient for the story, and wasn't explained well.

Out of all the characters, I think only Carlos was well-written, and his interaction with the other orphans was entertaining.

Overall, the script relies too heavily on stupid characters and poor decisions to advance. There are some good elements, and I can see why others like the film, but I just found it to be too frustrating.

just keep swimming

[–] butterflyalyssa11 12 years ago

I agree completely.
I am so mind boggled by the fact that so many people loved it.
I really, really don't understand.

[–] pascals_wager 12 years ago

I can't understand it either. I am sure it's just because Toro is involved.

[–] daftspunk 12 years ago

you speak my mind dude!!

[–] lubin-freddy 12 years ago

This was, for me, one of the best films of the decade. I see it more as a story dealing with memory, much as El laberinto del fauno, and less a "horror story" in the traditional sense.

People hungry for the voice of god
Hear lunatics and liars

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[–] saltnurwound 11 years ago

So when someone dislikes a film, there is ALWAYS someone who, in their infinite sophistication, tells them to go watch Transformers or Battleship, or in this case, The Grudge 2.
Does the fact that you liked this movie give you some sense of having more depth and appreciation for fine art that "lowly" people couldn't grasp with their underdeveloped pea brains.
I will never understand why the people who feel so sophisticated and wise seem to be the most closed minded and lacking in the knowledge that movies...or "art" by extension is a matter of taste and is totally subjective.
One person might view a movie with friends while having a few drinks on a Friday night and becompletely bored, and then watch it again 3 days later at 2am while wishing they could get to sleep and find that they couldn't take their eyes off the screen.
But most importantly, people have different tastes and expectations when they go to see movies. And i have yet to ever see one individual to be "dumb" because they couldn't stand a particular movie. The people who show their true lack of human understanding are the ones who make huge assumptions of others based on one single thing....their opinion of one movie.
I doubt i'm the only one who reads those condescending posts about how childish the other might be because they failed to see the incredible awe-inspiring greatness of a movie that spends 90 minutes with slow moving views of close ups on faces and trees and vases and empty rooms and old rocking chairs with a script that that all the dialogue could fit on half of one page.
Liking movies that cater to a small audience and leave most people frustrated doesn't make that small audience better than anyone else. It just makes them think they are. At least some of them. Hopefully most of them can also enjoy the latest big budget action movie just the same, and realize that if you like apples, you don't have to hate oranges.

[–] xgorexpolicex 11 years ago

"Does the fact that you liked this movie give you some sense of having more depth and appreciation for fine art that "lowly" people couldn't grasp with their underdeveloped pea brains."

Yes.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Naphthous 11 years ago

This was the first del Toro film I ever saw, and the reason I was excited when Pan's Labyrinth came out (because I recognized his name). It's still my favorite by him.

I think the first ghost scene is a bit creepy, but I don't really care whether it is or isn't. I don't think this film relies on creepiness for its effectiveness.

It's an orphanage, for god's sake, not a maximum security institution. It shouldn't have been hard to break in, especially for someone who'd spent his whole life there.

I simply disagree that not reporting the murder is unrealistic. I think kids are easily scared by older and bigger kids and can be rather easily controlled at times. I think you're really reaching here.

I must admit that I do agree that Jacinto is a weak villain with little motive to go to such extremes. But really, the most unconvincing ever? You must not have seen many films, read many books, or heard many stories. The captain in Pan's Labyrinth is just as unconvincing, as he suffers exactly the same flaw as a character as Jacinto, in fact.

This film has a lot of really unique elements that tie together rather well. I find the bomb to be a unique and memorable image, and Jacinto's death is an awesome scene - I love the way the kids are inspired by their early study when the saw the pictures of mammoth hunting. There are a lot of details like this in the film that don't beat you over the head (although there are some none-too-subtle parts as well).

I also think the plot is quite unpredictable, which I always appreciate. And I love the ending, with the kids striking out on their own.

I'm surprised you hated it, since you imply that you may be a fan of del Toro (am I reading that in?). I think you could nitpick at his other films at least as easily as this one.

[–] jude8304 11 years ago

I completely agree. I thought the war would kill them but it was crazy Jacinto who destroyed almost everything.

[–] worstpirateever 10 years ago

This was also the first Delo Toro film I watched, long before Pan's Labyrinth came out. I loved this film when I first saw it so Pan's Labyrinth had absolutely no effect on my opinion of this film. I liked both films but I loved the mood and atmosphere in this film more and I also loved the focus on the different characters.

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[–] Disardor 10 years ago

You're entitled to your opinion, but why do you assume that people only like this movie because of Guillermo del Toro's involvement? Do you realize that when this movie was released very few people were acutely aware of who Guillermo del Toro was? He'd made Cronos, which was a small but critically well received film, Mimic which was not well received and Blade II which received mixed reviews and was a sequel in a series that has its fans but isn't universally loved like, say, Nolan's Batman movies. The Devil's Backbone was released in the wake of those movies and was tremendously successful with critics and the audiences who saw it. It wasn't until several years later with Pan's Labyrinth and to a lesser extent the Hellboy movies that Guillermo del Toro became something of a household name.

[–] pascals_wager 10 years ago

good point. disregard that idea for the most part then.