The Orphanage
After his success with Hellboy and the Oscar-grabbing Pan’s Labyrinth, the mere presence of the words “Guillermo del Toro presents” above the title of The Orphanage were enough to attract an eager audience of del Toro fans looking for more of the same.
There are certainly stylistic similarities between The Orphanage and Pan’s Labyrinth, but first-time director Juan Antonio Bayona proves that he doesn’t need to cling to anyone’s coat-tails by delivering one of the creepiest films we’ve seen in ages.When Laura (Belén Rueda) returns to the abandoned orphanage where she grew up, her young son Simón soon starts exploring the spooky old building and playing games with his new imaginary friend. But when Simón disappears Laura is forced to recruit a team of Spanish ghost-busters to explore the secrets of the old orphanage.
The tale that unfolds isn’t exactly original – it’s a quite traditional haunted house tale, complete with creaking floorboards, dark clouds looming overhead, and even an eccentric old medium played by Geraldine Chaplin (who no doubt picked up her excellent Spanish from her boyfriend, the director Carlos Saura, whose work was a key influence on Bayona).Fans of blood and guts epics such as the Saw series may find The Orphanage a bit tame, but if you prefer horror stories that rely on atmosphere and skilful storytelling to achieve their effects then The Orphanage is a real treat.
I give it 8 out of 10
