A beautiful and moving horror film

Rating: Null/10 (29 March 2010)

I was really not intending to watch The Orphanage, just because it looked so similar to other films of it's kind, most notably The Others. However, I am glad I did watch it, because although it does have similar aspects, it remains a beautiful and very moving film. As a horror film it succeeds, and as a drama it succeeds as well. It is genuinely creepy, with one of the scariest scenes of the last decade (guess which it is, but I am sure everyone will know I am talking about the 'medium' scene). The screenplay is very, very strong, not one major flaw. The performances are brilliant, and first-time director Juan Antonio Bayona might really have a bright future ahead of him. The suspense is at times dreadfully mysterious, and the cinematography is surreal and beautiful. The music score gives the film a classical feel to it, and is very effective. Overall, I think it is a great film, and ultimately has better execution and more suspense than The Others. This will not disappoint you!