Effective chiller that builds the scares on the base of a strong story

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2008)

As a child Laura was in an orphanage until she was adopted young. Years later she has returned to the building with her husband and adopted child Simón with the aim of making it both their home and also a place for the care of special children.. Simón has his own challenges, one of which is his reliance on imaginary friends, but when he claims to have met one in particular, Tomás, things take a very dark turn for the worse.
After a few weeks of listening to mark Kermode praising this film, I got myself along to a cinema to see it. What I found was not the amazing, earth-shattering film that some had claimed  but this is a common thing for good foreign films, they tend to be extra praised because they are foreign. Don't let my sentences put you off though because this is a very effective and enjoyable ghost story. Director Bayona uses the devices that you'll have seen other films of the same ilk using but the thing is he does it really well. The creeping camera is used several times without a related payoff, producing a constant air of tension that is almost a relief (in a perverse way) when a proper scare does come. As many others have said it is very unnerving rather than gory, with slow movement replacing jump scares and so on, all to good effect.
The story is no slouch either and it is built on the desperation of Laura and the loss of her treasure. This puts a very human heart to the ghost story, engaging the viewer and making it easier for scepticism to be put to one side, even if only for a few hours. The narrative carries a satisfying arch that is ultimately as tragic as it is "happy" and as relatable as it fantastic. To put it another way, when a specific scare was not happening/about to happen, I was still interested in what was happening and boredom never occurred. The cast deliver well too. Rueda is the heart of the film and she is convincing throughout. Cayo's Carlos is a lot less important but he plays his character well. Príncep's Simón is the right kid for the job as his matter-of-fact lack of fear adds to the story. The rest of the child cast are weaker but mostly their creepy silent presence is all that is required.
The Orphanage is not anything new or brilliant then but it is very efficient and effective. The story is a strong base for a consistently creepy air that is expertly delivered by Bayona, who makes it all look easy.