A lovely, moving, and subtle Spanish horror winner

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 2018)

Laura (a fine and affecting performance by Belen Rueda) and her family movie into a mysterious seaside orphanage that Laura grew up in as a child. Said orphanage harbors a deep dark secret that threatens to destroy both Laura and everything she has ever loved.
Director J.A. Bayona eschews graphic gore and cheap scares in favor of delicately crafting a quietly spooky atmosphere that gets under the viewer's skin in an understated, yet still unsettling way. Moreover, the absorbing story that's set up with utmost care and precision by Sergio G. Sanchez has a tragic element to it that in turn gives this film a considerable amount of depth and poignancy. Rueda's distraught, yet determined Laura makes for a strong and sympathetic protagonist whose need to make peace with her troubled past and desire to be reunited with her missing son Simon (well played with tremendous charm and vitality by Roger Princep) ensures that this movie packs a potent emotional punch. The ending manages to be both sad and uplifting in equal measure. Fernando Cayo lends sturdy support as Laura's concerned husband Carlos. Geraldine Chaplin likewise excels as helpful medium Aurora. Kudos are also in order for Oscar Faura's sumptuous widescreen cinematography and Fernando Velaz's spare shivery score. A very touching and haunting gem.