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The Orphanage (2007)
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Reviews Counted:149
Fresh:128
Rotten:21
Average Rating:7.3/10
Consensus: When it seems like every horror movie nowadays is a remake or a grisly exercise in sadism, The Orphanage is a breath of fresh air for critics and audiences alike, seamlessly blending in a poignant tale of loss with the scares and blood.
Theatrical Release:21-03-2008
Synopsis: It might come as no surprise that the producer of the Spanish supernatural thriller THE ORPHANAGE is none other than Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro (PAN'S LABYRINTH, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE), for... It might come as no surprise that the producer of the Spanish supernatural thriller THE ORPHANAGE is none other than Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro (PAN'S LABYRINTH, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE), for his influence is felt greatly throughout the picture. Made by an entire crew of newcomers--director Juan Antonio Bayona, screenwriter Sergio G. Sanchez, director of photography Oscar Faura, composer Fernando Velazquez--THE ORPHANAGE is an extremely accomplished work. The story concerns Laura (Belen Rueda), who has returned with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and adopted child Simon (Roger Princep) 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. What follows is a murky descent into Laura's mind, where she doesn't know what is real and what is a figment of her tortured imagination. Bayona brings Sanchez's complex script to life with the help of Faura's haunting imagery and Valazquez's atmospheric score. But what makes THE ORPHANAGE an even greater achievement is its insistence on being more than just a superficial scare-fest. Bayona and Sanchez are more interested in deeper themes of memory, loss, and grief, establishing Laura as a mother who feels guilt over not being able to protect her child from outside forces. The result is a film that is both unsettling and moving. [More]
Starring: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin
Starring: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Screenwriter: Sergio G. Sanchez
Producer: Guillermo Del Toro
Composer: Fernando Velazquez
Studio: Picturehouse
Reviews for The Orphanage
A good old-fashioned horror in the best possible way, this is a beautifully told, terrifying ghost story that lingers with you long after the shivers have stopped.
Haunting and heartbreaking, The Orphanage delivers a double whammy of chills both real and supernatural.
An astoundingly well-made debut - even if The Orphanage is ultimately as empty as it is haunted.
Spanish horror films have a rich, still underappreciated tradition, but The Orphanage could have been made by any anonymous Hollywood hack
However, the creative trust hasn’t forgotten those who love their art served up rich in metaphor and message.
You wouldn't think that a Spanish horror flick as high art, but in the case of The Orphanage, you'd be wrong.
Latest News for The Orphanage
August 05, 2009:
Fessenden Signs on for Orphanage Remake ![]()
New Line's remake of "The Orphanage" has got itself a director: Larry Fessenden, who has written the script with producer Guillermo del Toro. More...
May 15, 2009:
Orphanage Duo Reunites for "Powerful Story" ![]()
Juan Antonio Bayona and Sergio Sanchez, the director and screenwriter of "The Orphanage," are reteaming on what looks set to be Bayona's second film. More...
March 12, 2009:
Bayona Set for Third Twilight Movie ![]()
Summit Entertainment has announced that Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona ("The Orphanage") will direct "Eclipse," the third installment in the "Twilight" series. More...
November 14, 2008:
Five Favorite Films with Guillermo del Toro
RT caught up with Hellboy II director Guillermo del Toro at the DVD/Blu-ray Launch Event for Hellboy II: The Golden Army, where the celebrated fantasy auteur shared his favorite... More...
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