A tale of love. A story of horror.

Rating: 7/10 (7 August 2009)

The story concerns Laura, who has returned with her husband Carlos and adopted child Simon to the large manor where she was raised in an orphanage as a child. Laura is determined to fix up the abandoned house and open it as a refuge for ill children. But from the moment she returns, the past begins to haunt her. It isn't long before she begins to see the children who she used to play with as a seven-year-old. And when Simon goes missing one afternoon, she's convinced that they have taken him hostage.
THE ORPHANAGE is a refreshing horror movie. This is due to the fact that the film doesn't rely on scary CGI images nor cheap scare tactics. On top of that, little, little (little) blood is spilled in this chilling ghost story. On the contrary, the film relies on its characters, the atmosphere, the setting, and (let's not forget) a satisfying plot.
What makes the film work is of the performance by the lead, Belén Rueda, who does such a great job playing the whole "what's real/what isn't" act. I believe this is Juan Antonio Bayona's directorial debut and he does a fantastic job. I'm looking forward to see more of his movies in the future. Also, I would like to add that the score was great as well as the beautiful cinematography.
By the end, when the truth is revealed, it's satisfying but it has been done before in other films. It's a different ghost story and I have to stress the "different." It doesn't have the usual "Boo!" scares or ghosts in creepy make-up. The film allows the characters to develop so we care for them and a creepy atmosphere in a great setting. THE ORPHANAGE is a refreshing horror movie that is pretty unconventional.