Review of The Orphanage (2007) by Dawdlingpoet — 24 Nov 2021

This is a Spanish movie and again that fact didn't put me off it at all, as I found it easy to watch through reading the subtitles. I don't know why but in the past I would have definitely turned over if I saw a movie wasn't in English but if its well made then I'll be alot more open to watching it now, as both of the 'world cinema' movies I've seen in the last week I've enjoyed, which is nice to know.

This movie is very much written like a traditional ghost story, in terms of it having being quite haunting, with the setting in a rather old and dilapidated looking building and with a few scenes showing things that aren't quite right but which others don't always spot at the time. The scenes featuring the child with the peculiar, somewhat creepy looking mask does add a spooky feel to it, although to be honest I wouldn't say that its a very scary movie, its more a little spooky or chilling at one or two points but overall, I didn't find myself shouting out or screaming at all, even though its known as a moderate horror movie, I believe. In a way, its a bit like the Blair Witch movies, in that the creepy scenes and the main 'scares' focus on what you presume what your seeing means (if you know what I mean(?)), its not got much blood or gore (apart from one scene which is a bit graphic but fairly fleeting) but its likely to put a bit of a chill down your spine once or twice. I found myself feeling quite sorry for the mother, I thought her character was quite well written and acted. Its quite an atmospheric movie and I like the ending in a way, although other people probably won't...its hard to say much without giving away the ending but its different to what people may presume, it encompasses both a happy and a sad ending in different ways. Confused? yes I probably would be too if I read this review before watching it but having seen it, thats what comes to mind.

I thought that the story was pretty absorbing and the characters are mainly good, although I was a little sceptical perhaps about one character, that being of a frail elderly woman who appears on the doorstep with no prior warning and whom Laura (the mother) is very suspicious about.

Overall, I thought this was an absorbing movie that was well made.

Yes I'd recommend this movie, I found it quite absorbing and I thought the script was pretty good. Don't let the fact that this movie is in Spanish put you off, its still worth a watch if you can put up with the subtitles, I feel.