El Espinazo Del Diablo (The Devil's Backbone)

2001 movie from Benicio Del Toro, recognised as one of the finer directors of his time.
Let's first look at Del Toro's use of the camera. It is big, wide, swooping. It follows everyone, on long, elegant shots. It has fun moving up and down the characters, not so much stroking as covering all the surfaces. This is a camera of omniscience, of onipresence, a rare return in these times of identification. Del Toro wants to create a truly story here. It is a genuine narrative rather than a character study, and gives the film part of its universal, fable like structure. Add to this the use of almost mythic symbols, the bomb and the casual transcendence. And of course the children.
Del Toro is another director who uses colour in a striking manner, yellows and sandblasted wide vistas. He is a man of the landscape, with great historical acuity.
Del Toro has a very hateful character in the film. Is this is perhaps slightly too simplistic, it may also be an interesting use of tropes; it should not be overdone. Of course this is a very political parable, but it should not be read as just 'those evil fascists'; their is an inhumanity in the old doctor also. The better reading is partly of inter-generational hells; the discontinuity of the wretched violence and the children, who seem far away from this, but cannot but encroach.
Del Toro uses many opaque symbols, which are difficult to decipher. The bomb, the wooden leg, amongst others. What Del Toro's overall purpose is remains difficult. Is it a recollection of the war, a witness, or is it related towards the future? Whatever it is, it is a good film. Visually interesting, if not with quite the sharpness to make it excellent.