An eerie yet engaging supernatural tale

Rating: 7/10 (14 December 2009)

This is another one of Del Toro's films where the other-worldly ghostliness builds up quite subtly at first. This movie holds your attention and maintains the suspense with a chilly edge throughout.
Although it doesn't induce horror or any significant scares, it does convey a burgeoning sense of unease to the viewer and this is a testament to Del Toro's intelligent handling of the story.
There are certain fashions that afflict the genre - the Japanese and neighbouring far east Asian countries love girls in grubby nighties with bedraggled hair over their faces (all apparently inspired from the "Sadako" character of "The Ring"). We in the West have had a rash of "creepy kid" movies, where the horror comes from the incongruity of malevolence in a form of innocence. Del Toro handles his own "creepy kiddies" movie in a way that doesn't fall into step with those - making it an original and enjoyable film.