Orphan

Esther is a little orphan girl who needs a home. She is smart, talented, and clever, and seems demure and well-behaved. Esther should be every potential parent’s dream-child. At least, that is what the Colemans thought.

After losing a child in childbirth, the Colemans decide to adopt a child, and Esther appears perfect.  When they bring her home, on the surface, everything seems fine, until a series of freak accidents begin to follow Esther around. These accidents always seem to happen to people who either threaten or bully Esther. Kate Coleman, Esther’s adoptive mother, starts to suspect that something may be wrong, while her husband, John Coleman, is totally taken in by Esther’s cherubic face and polite manners. As always happens in these situations, mother knows best, and Esther’s behaviour becomes increasingly more sinister. Soon, the whole family is in danger and only Kate appears to see the real truth about Esther. But when Esther’s dark secret is finally revealed, she must fight for her own survival. And, the only question that remains is, “Who won’t Esther kill?”

I have to admit I was expecting much from this film. I thought it would be the typical Omen/Children of the Damned rip-off. You know this sort of plot, a sweet, little child actually turns out to be a vicious, no-holds-barred, killer who smiles angelically while holding a blood-soaked carving knife behind her back. There is a little bit of that, but there is much, much more as well.

It is obvious from the get-go that everyone involved in this film did not want to make your average horror flick.  They were not interested in a film that just made everyone involved enough money to get a decent paycheque and maybe to harbor a sequel or two. [PU1] Orphan grabs you from the very first word. In the initial scenes, it packs a good-sized horror punch, and this happens even before Esther comes on the scene. And, what follows is horror gold.  Orphan sets up the characters, flaws and all, and lets you relax, while evil little Esther works her magic. The best thing about Esther, and all great horror characters, is that you actually cannot help but find yourself rooting for them, just a little. Esther’s first victim is a malicious bully, and let’s face it, the world could do with a lot less of this sort of people. It is only when Esther goes after her stunningly-beautiful and deaf little sister that your allegiance turns.  With saying this, when the final twist is eventually revealed, you are almost tempted to root for her yet again. I couldn’t help the words, “you cool bitch,” storming through my mind, as I watched the final moments of Orphan.

All the performances in the film are quite good, but the standout performance in Orphan is definitely Isabelle Fuhrman, who showed maturity beyond her years in delivering a performance both sinister and demure.  Not since Martin Stephens in The Innocents has a child given us a performance that appears so completely chilling and subtle. Fuhrman is a star in the making. Let’s just hope that it all doesn’t go to her head, and in ten years’ time, she won’t be falling out of car with no underwear on![PU2] 

Orphan is everything you want a horror movie to be. It is a gore-fest with a hardcore, psychological element and a killer twist that you won’t see coming.  Spinetinglers highly recommends Orphan to anyone who relishes a movie that is a cut above the average tosh[PU3]  flooding the market.