Beautiful & Terrifying

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2008)

Part of what some are describing as a new wave of Spanish Horror (as influenced by last years superb Pans Labyrinth), The Orphanage sees director Juan Antonio Bayona take over duties from Guillermo del Toro, who is wearing the producers hat this time round. The result sees one of the most beautifully filmed and yet utterly terrifying films to grace the cinema screens in recent years.
The plot concerns a woman called Laura, who has bought the orphanage she grew up in, intending to reopen it as a special school. She has moved in with her husband and son, who soon begins to open some of the mysteries of the past...
To go in to any further detail would do this film a disservice. This film has been lovingly shot and edited in the style of old ghost stories. What scares there are - and believe me there are some - are shown with subtlety and atmosphere, which makes it all the more terrifying when they happens. The atmosphere is tense and creepy throughout - a far cry from other recent horror films, and all the better for it.
The film echoes Pans Labyrinth in terms of style and (in a loose sense) plot. Del Toro may have been producer, but you can see his handywork on screen. However, this is not a bad thing, and Bayona should have a good career ahead of him. A strong (and gut-wrenching) ending ties the film up nicely, and the film will remain with you for a good long while after you leave the cinema.
10/10