Hitchcock would have been proud of this one

Rating: 10/10 (27 January 2008)

Rarely we are treated to a film that lavishes so many riches upon us: here is a movie with a range of emotions that one never finds for more than a few seconds in Hollywood productions. "The Orphanage" sustains the suspense, terror, anguish, thrills, jolts, rawness of its subject matter for its near two hours. It never cheats us with a dollop of special effects that usually "enhance" the lack of talent and creativity in most contemporary films. This movie has such a powerful grip that the audience catches themselves holding their breath as the story unfolds, and the mystery grows stronger as the mother searches for her missing boy.
Gorgeously photographed, with an exquisite score, and one of the best editing turns in recent memory, we follow the travails of a woman who is ready to succumb to despair as she can't figure what happened to her sick son. With some rudimentary detective skills and the assistance of some psychic amateurs she puts more and more clues together, but it's her own child's games that might allow her to succeed.
There is much to praise in a movie that defies conventions because it is so beautifully made, here is a movie that gives a new twist to a genre that many consider creatively dead, as we have grown accustomed to expect very little from a new wave of directors that rely too heavily on CGI and sketchy screenplays, and an over-dependency on sequels and tired ideas. On the other hand, "The Orphanage" explores the emotional impact of tragic events on human beings, and the importance of family bonds. It rescues us from apathy and involves us as we start caring for the characters on the screen.
Nothing in this film is accidental, with its many references to "Peter Pan" and some biblical figures. It is a very satisfying film that demands more than one viewing, one film that will creep you out for the right reasons, and that shows maybe one drop of blood in the entire film, an event that should be celebrated as horror is reborn in a grand way.