Esther leaves the orphanage with her new victims, I mean parents.
Okay peeps, my second film in my Christmas Movie Madness Marathon (I just named it that!). The movie I watched this time was Orphan.
Ladies and gentlemen... we have a creepa
Without even reading the back of the DVD box, or the synopsis on IMDB, you can pretty much tell what you're in for before popping it in. It's the oldest story in the world, family adopts kid, kid isn't who they seem to be, parent begins suspecting something is off leading to a huge, nail-biting finale. Maybe that isn't the oldest story in the world but close.
Esther joins her new family
John and Kate Coleman(Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farminga) are a married couple looking to adopt a child after the loss of their unborn baby. While visiting an orphanage, John and Kate are charmed by a little girl named Esther(Isabelle Fuhrman). They adopt her and bring her home to join their family, but Esther is not who she seems or who she claims to be. Soon all the problems in John and Kate's marriage that were once resolved resurface and horrible and chilling incidents begin to occur whenever Esther is around. Kate begins to suspect that the perfect little girl she adopted, might be dangerous, now she must figure out who Esther is and where she came from before her whole family is swallowed up in her deceit.
Yeah... I hate it when psycho little girls are watching me.
Orphan was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the director of one of my favorite horror films, House of Wax. But don't let that fool you. Orphan is not a horror film. For some it might be, but it's more of a thriller/intense drama. Those who are looking for a good scare will be very disappointed with Orphan.
And to think, when I was a kid I was scared of monsters under the bed! No kids, it's your adopted siblings you should fear.
The movie itself is beautiful to look at. The snow covered surroundings, the muted color scheme and distinct camera angles makes this film pleasing to the eye. There are also several running themes in the movie. For one, reflections and mirrored surfaces are huge in this film and it's identity. The characters themselves are all facing trials in their lives, and fighting to keep their lives stable. The characters are trying to figure out who they are and where their lives are going and the mirrored surfaces reflects this beautifully, because only when they face themselves, face the truth can they overcome the evil in their lives.
What the hell has that little bitch done now!?!?
As for the acting, it's great! Peter Sarsgaard is pitch-perfect in this part. As for Vera Farmiga, I was a little disappointed at first that they chose her for the role, but she really stood up and took control of her character. At first I kept re-casting her in my head, someone like Jennifer Esposito, Elisabeth Shue or Sarah Michelle Gellar, but she really stepped up. Isabelle Fuhrman did beautifully as the psycho kid. She kept me loving to hate her! She disturbed me but at the same time showed a great innocence to me.
Is she listening? Yeah, I think she's listening.
The other children actors were absolute stars too! Aryana Engineer and Jimmy Bennett shine in their roles as the siblings of Esther. They are going to be huge one of these days, mark my words.
Aryana Engineer is creeped by her new sibling.
Another thing I noticed about this movie is how crafted it was. The characters would do something bad, or do something that would set off alarms with the audience before something horrible happens. A promiscuous woman flirts with John before Esther pushes a little girl off a slide, A nun reaches for her cigarettes before her ultimate downfall, a little boy hides a porno magazine under a tree house floor board where Esther would soon hide the evidence of one of her dreadful crimes. It's all very set up to give the audience an inkling to whats to come.
Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga in Orphan. No smartass comment for this pic!
There's something wrong with Esther...
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