Orphan
posted July 23, 2009 5:46 AM
Not a sturdy mooring in realism…
This kitschy horror item about a nice suburban couple with two kids whose adoption of an orphaned Russian child turns out to be a not-so-hot move has enough kinky Grand Guignol moments and scenes of sheer terror to make a quick killing at the box office—even though it borrows from just about every other Bad Seed flick Hollywood has ever unleashed. Expect strong business from teen girls and good word of mouth for a solid twist no one will see coming.
Hatched from producer Joel Silver’s production company, Dark Castle Film, which was originally designed as a haven for contemporary knockoffs of old cheesy horror films (House On Haunted Hill, Thir13en Ghosts), David Leslie Johnson’s screenplay has its frights initially grounded in reality. The film’s central couple Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard)—apparently no intended relation to notoriously estranged reality TV stars Jon and Kate—experience the devastating loss of their unborn child and turn to a catholic orphanage to heal their wounds. When the nun (CCH Pounder) comes up with a Russian girl named Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) they jump at the chance and bring her home to their other kids, Daniel (Jimmy Bennett) and their deaf younger daughter Max (Aryana Engineer). Anyone with a knowledge of films ranging from The Bad Seed to The Good Son can figure out it won’t be long before this strange and mysterious newcomer starts wreaking havoc, even though the parents think she’s an angel and remain clueless about what’s going on. One by one the kids, and finally Mom, see Esther’s behavior could be signaling that this little “angel” may be the devil incarnate. Questions about the girl’s sketchy past continue until a rather startling twist sets events in motion for a truly terrifying final act.
Although director Jaume Collet-Serra (House Of Wax) is firmly in control, some of the script’s sharp turns defy credibility, particularly a bizarre and awkward seduction sequence between Dad and Esther that you’ll have to see to believe. The psychological underpinnings of Johnson’s wild plot (from a story by Alex Mace) fortunately lend a welcome dose of reality to the proceedings and set up a wild denouement.
To pull all the operatics off, producers have wisely cast solid pros Sarsgaard and Farmiga, who bring real dimensions to a couple reeling from one tragedy and about to experience another. Farmiga is particularly fine as the mother of a devil-child, something she’s had cinematic experience with previously in 2007’s similar demon-youth movie, Joshua. Perhaps this actress ought to consider something other than parenting in her future films. The real find is young Fuhrman who may have the trickiest role a child actor has had to pull off since Linda Blair battled The Exorcist in 1973. Engineer, a hearing impaired young actress is also outstanding as the very deaf younger daughter. Engineer shows a strong knack for sign language, an unusual touch in a genre picture like this.
Some Pro-adoption groups have complained to Warner Bros about the negative light Orphan potentially shines on adoptions and have urged a boycott. Although the studio has promised to put a positive message on the DVD release, it’s unlikely that there are many real ‘Esthers’ out there looking for a home. At least we hope so.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder, Aryana Engineer and Jimmy Bennett
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Screenwriter: David Leslie Johnson
Producers: Joel Silver, Susan Downey, Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Genre: Horror
Rating: R for disturbing violent content, some sexuality and language.
Running Time: 124 min
Release Date: July 24, 2009
19 Comments
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leya said:
i really enjoyed the movie ..very well made .they have not released a good movie in awhile.i will give it 4stars
July 25, 2009 12:02 PM
Anonymous said:
Just so you know, Aryana Engineer is not hearing impaired in reality. She knows how to sign because her mother is deaf.
July 25, 2009 5:10 PM
Steph Sharples said:
Good review. The twist ending is very unpredictable.
July 25, 2009 10:43 PM
fgf said:
كله على بعضه
July 26, 2009 12:05 AM
Anonymous said:
Actually, Aryana Engineer is hard of hearing. From the Vancouver Province, May 25, 2008:
"Aryana...has a hearing aid under her curly hair. She can speak but learned to sign with her mother. 'She signs to her mom and whoever else is deaf, but she's oral at school,' says [her father] Navruze."
July 26, 2009 9:11 AM
Kimberly said:
Great movie! I'm not easily frightened, but this one got me. I loved it!
July 26, 2009 10:31 AM
DANESSA said:
Just saw the Orphan...
that was the most awesome movie I have seen all summer... especially for a horror film.
I thought it was going to suck since all horror films are corny and suck...
but it was absolutely awesome! I give it two thumps up and Aryana / Max- is soooooo adorable!!
July 29, 2009 11:25 PM
Manny said:
I thought the movie was excellent. I like most people went into the movie theater weary about it, because most horror films look awesome in the previews/trailers, but then you go and you fall asleep in the theater chair. I loved Orphan, it was easy to follow and complicated, and for such a long movie (2 hours, 3 mins) it didn't drag at all. I almost wanted to see it over again. I know it didn't do that well in the box office week 1, but I am sure it will do better in the following weeks to come, because people who see it will tell others and so on! I loved the twist at the end and I really liked the girl who plays the orphan.
August 1, 2009 8:52 AM
Manny said:
I thought the movie was excellent. I like most people went into the movie theater weary about it, because most horror films look awesome in the previews/trailers, but then you go you fall asleep in the theater chair. I loved Orphan, it was easy to follow and not complicated, and for such a long movie (2 hours, 3 mins) it didn't drag at all. I almost wanted to see it over again. I know it didn't do that well in the box office week 1, but I am sure it will do better in the following weeks to come, because people who see it will tell others and so on! I loved the twist at the end and I really liked the girl who plays the orphan.
August 1, 2009 8:58 AM
Orphan Smorphin said:
You gotta be kidding me!! Although I do agree this was an original screen play and that is something some of you have never experienced in your short opinionated lives.
Last I checked putting 10 year olds in sexual situations got you landed in the slammer. Not, accolades for a great movie and 25 million bucks.
Clean it up while you make it fresh Hollywood. This isnt entertainment it is called PORN. Cant believe this is on the screen for the general public to plunk down their 8 bucks.
The cops are hauling people to jail for posting movies like this on the internet and as they should. Colettet-Serra hope you look good in horizontal stripes.
August 1, 2009 9:07 AM
Steph Sharples said:
oh relax it's a movie, there's been worse things shown before. Orphan was a solid thriller with a satisfying twist ending.
August 1, 2009 10:30 PM
mfan said:
I didn't see the film, but that's the point. I don't trust Hollywood not to gratuitously try to shove sex and drugs down your throat. The last movie I got dragged to see was Transformers ROTF and guess what? needless robot sex and drug use presented as funny. I have seen so much destruction in peoples lives because of illegal drugs and unwanted pregnancies that I can't take it anymore. Desperate for films I can trust, I basically only watch Disney/Pixar.
August 7, 2009 10:44 AM
Hebrew Hunk said:
Come on! I nearly laughed out loud when the "surprise" was revealed. The orphan's "secret" is absolutely ridiculous, far-fetched and beyond "the willing suspension of disbelief." I didn't think the movie was in the least bit scary. The beginning moves way too slowly, and the sex scenes were just there for an R rating. In a word, I was very disappointed.
August 7, 2009 12:45 PM
mfan said:
Hebrew Hunk: you were mushugana to add 'very' to your "In a word..." description, making your one word description two words. :) Just kidding, I love you man especially since you're obviously good looking. :)
August 8, 2009 2:22 PM
mohamed said:
يا حلوانت يا حلو
August 15, 2009 11:49 AM
Steph said:
I haven't seen this movie, but I have to agree with the people who are ashamed of Hollywood for explicit and/or perverted scenes. That whole generation (the hippie generation) has really ruined America, and left the younger generations with terrible morals.
August 16, 2009 7:26 PM
Gwen De Marco said:
I haven't seen this movie, but I have to agree with the people who are ashamed of Hollywood for explicit and/or perverted scenes. That whole generation (the hippie generation) has really ruined America, and left the younger generations with terrible morals.
Right. Blame the hippies. Because before the 1960s everything was perfect.
August 27, 2009 8:53 AM
jangal2323 said:
O my GOSH!!! You all act like the scene was like totally bad. You didn't even see any body parts. And for a young child, they wouldn't even know what they were doing because you can't see ANYTHING!!! And so what Isabella Fuhrman(Esther) is almost a 13-year-old girl. And you have to do whatever it takes to make money. If you would watch the movie and stop complaining about explicit things, then you would understand why they put that scene in there. JUST WATCH AND BE QUIET!!!
August 30, 2009 8:23 AM
jair said:
aryana is deaf please response response aryana is deaf
September 9, 2009 8:38 PM