The Orphanage (2007)

Review on “The Orphanage” (2007)

The first film review that I will be discussing will be on the 2007 supernatural horror film “The Orphanage”. This Spanish movie is planned out in a meticulously skilled way that captivates the audience through the effective use of sound effects, suspense and camera angles.

The film revolves around Laura, her husband Carlos and the most prominent figure in the film, her son Simón. Laura returns to the orphanage where she was raised to look back on but she also has plans for the orphanage - she is planning to take it over and run it, improving the lives of many children for the future. Simón has imaginary friends, which is relatively normal to many, but Simón takes it to the next level in a psychologically dangerous manner. After finding out that he is adopted (as well as being HIV positive, unbeknownst to him), he lashes out at his ‘mother’ Laura. Simón goes missing soon after and panic ensues. Laura is devastated and will do anything to retrieve her boy. After six months, there is still absolutely no sign of him so she goes as far as calling in a medium to find out Simón’s whereabouts. Before meeting her faithful demise, she is reunited with her boy, only to find her son’s corpse . As a result, she overdoses on pills and reunited with her son and the children in the orphanage, to which she pledges to all of them that she will look after them. They live happily ever after, viewers can presume!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I praise its high levels of unpredictability as well as eeriness, keeping me on the edge of my seat at all times. I would certainly recommend this film to a friend or a member of family, particularly for Halloween! I would rate this film four out of five stars.