A Moving Tale of Loss In A Supernatural Fashion

Rating: 9/10 (26 January 2015)

I've never been a real fan of horror films, I've only liked the odd one now and then just to be frightened; but this film, this underrated gem, has made me value the genre even more whilst terrifying me not with cheap scares but with atmosphere, cinematography and lighting, and also leaving me with a tear in my eye upon its conclusion. Never has a horror film done that to me.
J.A. Bayona's The Orphanage (El Orfanato) was a Spanish horror film released back in 2007 to critical acclaim from both western and native audiences and critics, and personally I agree. The film maintains a slow pace whilst establishing the narrative and its setting, focusing on the eerie atmosphere the titular orphanage exhibits. The film relies wholly on its setting and subject matter to deliver its horror with only the odd jump scare here and there, and this worked extremely well. It was unnerving whenever Laura explores the orphanage, as the films excellent sound design and lighting made it a place of fear and horror.
SPOILER ALERT Although the narrative isn't wholly original, it is a perfect re-imagining of the classic ghost story; tying a narrative about loss and a mother's love with the presence of ghosts from the buildings past. It was only at the end of the film when I truly understood Laura's determination and love for Simon, being how she was willing to die in order to be reunited with her son after accidentally causing his death, that I became emotional towards the film. Given how she committed suicide to be with her son, and in turn take care of the ghost children upon learning of their horrific demise, I was surprisingly moved by this revelation so much that I was nearly drawn to tears. Never have I seen a horror film with a heart and moving ending such as this, and it has all the more encouraged me to explore the horror genre not with the intention of being scared but with being moved.
The acting was excellent, particularly that of Laura's portrayer, which aided the film in its goal of telling a moving story about a mother's love and loss in the form of a horror film. This film has me excited not only for JA Bayona as a filmmaker but for the horror genre becoming a means of exploring complex emotional issues that we humans endure in life. And for that I award this film 10 out of 10, or 5 out of 5, a must see foreign film for both true fans of the horror genre and film buffs.