Yikes...I think I'd just move to another house...

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2009)

This is a Spanish horror film that manages to transcend the genre. I generally hate horror films, but this one is much deeper and well made than a typical film. And, on top of that, it's more intelligently made and doesn't insult the audience with cheap thrills or manipulation.
The film begins at an orphanage back in the 1970s. Then, after the credits roll, it's the present day. A couple and their young adopted son have just moved in to the same building that used to be the orphanage. The little boy is an odd kid and talks about having invisible friends. The problem is that after a while, it looks like he might be right.
During a party, the mother sees an odd child wearing a bag over his head--looking a lot like a little scarecrow. This is the same invisible friend her son had talked about and drawn in his pictures. However, when she tries to talk to the bag boy, he attacks her with extraordinary force. She is injured and upon getting up, looks for her son--who has vanished. Months pass and there is still no trace of the kid.
The rest of the story is told through odd clues--coming in bits and pieces. As a result, there are LOTS of creepy little images and scenes--that all eventually fill in the pieces to the puzzle. And, it seems that some of these puzzle pieces are being provided by the missing boy, as it's like a game he and his invisible friends used to play together! I could easily say more about the film's plot, but frankly this would ruin the suspense--and with this sort of film, that would be a big mistake. However, rest assured that the film's ending is both satisfying and touching.
The film was masterfully directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, but you can also see some of the influence of executive-producer Guillermo del Toro, as the story has many similarities to del Toro's earlier film, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE. Both are set at orphanages and both involve unresolved murders and the undying spirits of the victims. In fact, if you've seen one of these films, you should definitely see the other. Both, by the way, are pretty intense and are probably NOT good films for younger audience members.
Also, in a small role in the about the middle of the film is a segment with Geraldine Chaplin (daughter of Charlie). I was surprised at her fluency in Spanish--not realizing she was in real life married to a Spanish man.