Post by BIGFANBOY on Jul 31, 2009 4:31:03 GMT -5
THE ORPHAN
Review by Gary Dean Murray
Making a new and fresh horror flick is getting harder and harder. It seems that all of the boogie men have been exhausted to the point of parody. Lately Hollywood has gone the route of 're-imagining' 1970's B-movie flicks and mining box office gold. So, one has to admire the studio that tries to make something that is not just 'torture porn' or a 'slasher' flick retread. But sometimes good intentions only go so far. Which brings us to The Orphan, a mash-up of different styles disguised as a horror flick.
The film opens with mom Kate (Vera Farmiga) fighting demons in her mind. She's a pianist and composer. Yet, Kate is also an alcoholic with a guilty conscience about her children. She lost her last baby in the womb and one of her other children is deaf due to Mom's carelessness. Even with all these burdens, she still functions and tries to do what is right with her two kids.
Dad John (Peter Sarsgaard) has his own demons as well. His imperfect past is also a irritation to the marriage. But he does carry a 'holier than thou' attitude toward Kate. Their love is strained and the bond not as strong as it used to be before all the tragedy.
So, what do these two dysfunctional parents do? They decide to bring another child into the house to make up for the lost infant. The entire adoption process happens in unbelievable lighting speed, just blink and they have the kid.
That adopted girl is Ester (Isabelle Fuhrman). She is from Russia and was brought over here by a family who has since died in a fire. When Kate and John first meet Ester, she's painting pictures well above her nine year-old skill level. Kate seems to connect with the child's artistic side while John just connects with the wounded side.
With the newest addition to the brood, the family tension becomes even more so. The older son hates having his parents attention divided again, and the little deaf girl is just happy to have a sister, even though it is a big sis.
Kate soon begins to notice that Ester is different. She acts much more mature than her age, playing a piano with classical perfection. Ester seems to be in the center of everything bad that happens with the family. As Kate begins to find out about Ester's past, this little girl turns into a little monster.
David Leslie Johnson does something seldom seen in a screenplay like this. He gives us a very rich back story of the family. Every character in The Orphan is flawed and has a hurtful past. Almost a melodrama in feel, the way one has to piece together all the family dynamics is refreshing in a horror world where everything is just spelled out on the screen. The problem with the screenplay is that it never takes off, it has no suspense. Those going to see a splatter-filled monster movie are going to be sorely disappointed. The film just drags us to the surprise ending which isn't much of a surprise.
And as much as I found many of the proceedings boring, there is a fascination with young Isabelle Fuhrman as the orphan. She does an amazing job of going from sweet to vicious on the turn of a dime. Her line delivery is an eerie channeling of Bela Lugosi with just a hint of Damian. It is hard to make a nine year-old girl frightening, but director Jaume Vollett-Serra has found the perfect demonic foil. Just a single glancing eye can send shivers down the spine.
Peter Sarsgaard as John just walks through his role, lacking any depth or character. He gives a look like “I'm just here for the paycheck”. Vera Farmiga as Kate has to show much more of an emotional range and she does a strong job with the material. She is written as the lynch pin of the work and Vera delivers with a strong resonance.
The entire exercise is more of a thriller than a horror flick. I'm sure that the producers never figured that their character leads would be 'John and Kate', a hook synonymous with bad parenting, but every bit helps market a flick. Warning about the first few minutes, it is just gruesome. Like a roller coaster, that first dip is the worst.
There have already been groups fuming about a wicked older adopted kid. I think that once they see the film, their fears will be for naught. Any person who thinks that the movie The Orphan is like a real lost child needing a family really doesn't need to adopt.
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