(The Orphanage)
Review by: Skitty
Warning: All reviews may contain spoilers.
Warnings this Movie should come with
-Do Not See this film if it is dark out
Okay, so, now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about the movie. Now, for those of you who saw the beauty that was Pan's Labyrinth, you're probably in the same camp I'm in. What it boils down to is that Guillermo Del Torro can do no wrong. That man could put out a power rangers movie and I'd run to see it. Probably twice. That does mean that the movie is in Subtitles, though, so be ready for that. But, with so little imagination left in Hollywood, his films are like a breath of fresh air. At least, that's what I thought. Oh, The Orphanage is still a breath of fresh air, it's just a bit hard to breath, that's all. I've never been so genuinely horrified by a movie in my life. And that is a statement of fact. I'm not saying all of you will be as strongly effected as I was, but I think it would be impossible not to at least be surprised by this film.
The plot is simple enough, but be prepared for twists. Laura is the mother of an adopted son, Simon. Having been an adopted child herself, she wants to help other children like her. Moving into the orphanage she grew up in, she intends to turn it into a home for special needs children. She expects to have five or six, plus he own son. However, during the opening party, Laura find that Simon has gone missing, apparently taken by his imaginary friends; six children of roughly his own age, one of whom wears a sack mask over his head. Now, from there you might expect the film to take the classic ghost hunting path, and yes there are a few elements of the norm. But the suspense is so tight, the track so twisted, and the story so engrossing that you will honestly not see the ending coming. I realized what was going on with about three seconds to spare, and that's it.
It's hard to find a horror movie these days that stays with you once you leave the theatre. Sure, most are good for a few scares and might even make your heart race just a little. But when I left this theatre, I was legitimately frightened, and stayed that way. I think I sat up in bed for at least an hour longer than I needed to simply because I dreaded turning off the light. So yes, I suggest that if you are fan of horror, you go see this film immediately. Just be prepared, friends. Heed the warning! No swimming for at least thirty minutes after!
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