The best 'naughty little kid' movie I've seen!

Rating: 9/10 (5 August 2009)

There's something unnatural and haunting when we see children in film (or in any context) that abandon the ideal of innocence and virtue we're used to seeing in Disney movies. Still, we're compelled to watch as the children on screen defy our perception as they grab that kitchen knife or the sickle in the cornfield. I admit, it's a paradox that I'm always eager to experience. I've seen and enjoyed The Bad Seed, The Good Son, Pet Cemetery, Children of the Corn, and even the low-budget varieties like Milo and the recent Whisper.
Orphan took an all-too-familiar concept and gave us something unique. I dare say that Esther will quickly earn her spot in the elite group of super-villains that have risen to legendary status. Yes, Esther is still haunting me the morning after, and that's extremely tough to do to me. I think the most terrifying element of this character is how angelic she appears. There are parts of the film where you actually don't want to believe she's evil. You start to have compassion for her troubled life as an orphan. Oh, Daddy Warbucks, how lucky you are to have a girl like Annie.
The films greatest achievement is the character development. While most movies in this sub-genre move from kill to kill like checking off a grocery list, forgetting to allow us to connect to the cast, Orphan lets us inside the Coleman household, as we discover their most intimate histories and struggles. You understand and identify with every motive of each character. As the film presses on, the person you cheered for, you start to despise. And just when you start to despise them, you realize they still don't deserve what Esther has planned for them, and you begin to cheer for them all over again.
The tension in the film almost never lets up. There are times we get to stretch for a moment, only to resume the position at the edge of the seat. As a chronic nail-biter, I was left with nothing but stubs by the end credits. As we long for just dessert to be served, the film steamrolls on, as evil continues to prevail. It's a torture that almost made me want to sneak into Aliens in the Attic playing on the other side of the wall. And after all the shouting at the screen, we realize we knew exactly what we were getting into. Well, not EXACTLY. Esther's secret hits us like a Shyamalan ending (pre-The Happening), and we soon fear the worst.
Given the suspense, the character development, the great cinematography and transparent score, this is an excellent thriller. And it is definitely my favorite 'Kid Killer' movie, with the Omen at a close second. The only reason it's not a perfect '10' to me is because the plot, while done in a unique, refreshing way, is still a familiar one. Some scenes are more like carbon-copies of its predecessors than original thoughts. I also would've liked another five minutes of closure before the credits, but I'm still satisfied with the ending. This movie definitely made my wife and I think twice about taking home cute freckle-faced orphans. Hurry and see it in the theaters!