great premise, legit scary moments but is a misfire in execution as it tailspins to cliches

Rating: 6/10 (24 August 2019)

Orphan has a great premise, legit scary moments but is a misfire in execution as it tailspins to cliches in the second half. The film is an exploration about loss of a child and how it drives the mother, in this case Kate, played by Vera Farmiga, and her attempts to grow from that trauma by adopting a child. It starts off great, but never coheres. Her trauma is never fully resolved as it becomes subservient to the narrative in building Esther, the film's antagonist. Tropes such as horror character from eastern Europe and mistrusting husband are present. The acting is good in many cases. Farmiga aptly portrays a grieving mother. Isabelle Fuhrman is exceptional playing an mentally disabled antisocial serial killer pretending to be kid, who in reality is an adult. Overall, Orphan is good but nothing special.
6/10