The Orphanage is the latest creation from the guy who brought us Pan's Labyrinth. He didn't direct this one but you wrote and produced it. Instead a new director worked on this film but really I wouldn't have known that.
The cinematography is beautiful and the use of lighting in the scenes near the end is amazing. Not only that but the films locations are perfect and rival those in Pan's.
The film is entirely in Spanish but it didn't bother me once. It just felt natural from the get go. I had actually seen no previews for this film. A co-worker said it looked great and then I saw who was connected to it and I had to see it. All I knew was that it was ghost story.
A woman grew up in an orphanage and thirty years later she moves into the old house with her husband and son. They plan to take in some challenged kids and recreate the old days. But then something happens. Something creepy and she haunted by it for rest of the film. I won't go any further but the film creates one of the creepiest atmospheres in a film yet. If I had to compare this to another film I'd say it's a lot like The Shinning. If you play video games I'd say it's a cross between The Rule of Rose and one other game whose name alludes me at the moment but the resemblance is amazing between the different types of story.
Instead of producing jumping scares the film uses twisted images to creep you out. The later part of the film had me on the edge of my seat and despite figuring out what was going to happen I must admit I was still taken back by it all.
The Orphanage is a fantastic film. Perhaps the best horror film to come out in a very long time but it isn't your typical horror film. The actors do a great job of making these characters feel real and I can't help but notice that a number of recent films seem to have stronger characters than anything else.
Entertainment Value - **** / 5
Film - *****/ 5
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