And i believe that it was neither meant to be ghosts or her imagination. Its completely open to interpretation and is just what you believe to be true. Remember this is a deeply phsycological film and a clever director.

Although at first slightly put out by the subtitles i am glad i continued watching. This was a brilliant film and although not as scary as i first expected, was very deep and sad and to be honest a generaly cute film.

Responses to questions could spoil the movie – stop reading if you haven’t seen it and plan to.

I agree with Indi. She saw the hole where the door knob fit, it wasn’t covered with paper. She only peeled the paper to see if it was an actual door, or just a whole in the wall. The door was covered with the same paper as the wall, but you can see the separation if you look carefully. If you are a Netflix member, you can watch it online under ‘watch instantly’. That way you can see the details over and over without renting it.

I believe the ghosts were real and not her imagination. The proof was in the psychic, the home videos and the incinerated bodies before she ever found her son. The psychic actually told her (not in so many words) that the only way she was gonna get her son back was to kill herself.

When the collision scene happened, it was like the opening scene of Disturbia all over again. Everything’s going just fine, calm, even the music makes you feel fine. Then WHAM! I jumped straight up out of my chair and yelled “Oh My God!”. And I was watching this during broad daylight! I am no sissy, so for me to do this, I take my hat off to Del Toro. I tend to expect these things to happen in movies. I didn’t expect that collision!

I had no idea foreign films with subtitles could be so good. Good acting, good fx, good all around. I am now searching out other foreign films to see, just because of this excellent movie.

Please don’t read further if you have not seen the film – I have a question that may be a spoiler…
I believe, like Pan’s Labyrinth, that this is one of those films where you are never really sure if its real or just in the character’s mind. I tend to believe that it was her own despair that led her to the end, however, that in way makes it more interesting than actual ghosts – although god knows I love my horror!!

Question: My boyfriend and I could explain away everything that happened that pointed to it all being in her head – no actual ghosts.

However, when she goes into the closet at the end to put the doorknob on the door she has to peel back wallpaper to get to the doorknob – how is that possible without the intervention of spooky children ghosts?

I had my hands over my eyes but my boyfriend swears that she had to peel it off, meaning that it was not left the way that Simone left it. It also would correspond with the title credits with the wallpaper tearing graphics….

If wall paper actually covered up the knob – it would change our thoughts on this. Please tell us what you think!!???