The Orphanage (2007) 8/10
The Orphanage (2007) 8/10
The best horror movies mesmerize not with cheap scares but by crafting atmosphere and developing characters . Horror at its best should be a tool to serve the movie, and not vice versa. The Orphanage is a film that eschews cheap tricks for a moody, atmospheric and utterly enthralling film. Remiscent of Guillermo del Toro’s (who is producer for this film) excellent “The Devil’s Backbone”, The Orphanage is beautifully shot with a commanding lead performance by Belén Rueda, and a promising debut effort by Juan Antonio Bayona. Some parts of the film are a tad unpolished, but considering its the first film, Bayona has the talent to go far. It is one of the best horror movies in recent years. It is not the scariest, but it knows how to push the right button. Plus, i love the ending.
“Complex, layered and creepy as hell, The Orphanage is the kind of movie that reminds horror fans why they became hooked on the genre in the first place.”- Ken Hanke
“The small screening-room crowd I watched the movie with was a pretty sophisticated bunch—but not for long. Forty minutes in, our defenses had been shredded. We were alone with our fears, but we quivered as one.”- Newsweek
“The Orphanage is an effective mixture of horror and fantasy, with the supernatural bleeding into dreams that teeter on the brink of reality.”- James Berardinelli
