Saturday 12 October 2013

Review: Orphan (2009)

Orphan
IMDB rate: 6,9
Genre: Killer Kids

It has been quite some time since I last saw this movie. I remember that when I first saw it I did not like it a lot. But now I've seen it again I remember why, it's a very long and unsettling movie. There are a few annoying moments in it but overall it's a reasonable movie.


Kate and John Coleman are rebuilding their troubled marriage. Kate had a drinking problem, but is in therapy and is doing well. She has been sober for one year. The couple decide to adopt a child. When they meet the nine-year-old Russian girl, Esther, at the St. marina Orphanage, they immediately fall in love with the well-educated orphan. Their young son, Daniel, is hostile to his new sister; but their deaf daughter, little Max, is enchanted with her - at first. Eventually, Kate begins to feel that Esther is manipulative and possibly even psychologically disturbed. John refused to listen to his wife's misgivings, and the wounds in their marriage reopen. Kate calls Sister Abigail at the orphanage, and the nun informs her that Esther has a troubled and mysterious history. Kate delves further into Esther's past and discovers she is not all she pretends to be.

Since watching this movie for the first time I grew an immense disliking for the actrice Isabelle Fuhrman, but now I saw it again I know why... She's a brilliant actress in this movie and her role is so brutal and scumbag-ish, that it's quite hard to not dislike her. I dislike her in a way as in I dislike Daeg Faerch from the Halloween remake, they both play the scumbag role that well, that it's hard to not dislike them. They're both great actors.

Not too sure what to think of Vera Farmiga, to be honest, I like her sister Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) a bit better as an actress. I find Vera a bit plain in this movie and she's kinda stupid for her actions. She should talk more to her husband instead of immediately hurting Esther, the way she does it in the movie she looks like the bad guy instead of Esther.

Peter Sarsgaard is also kinda dumb in the movie, the entire movie he is all protective about Esther and suddenly in the last scene he says that she is indeed a scumbag. Dude, couldn't you sat that earlier? Because of your ignorance, your wife and son are in the hospital. The switch between protective and aware of Esther's true nature came a bit too sudden I think. Also, his acting abilities were a bit boring to be honest. His face was all emotionless the entire movie.


I think Orphan has an excellent storyline. The entire movie you think that Esther is just a real scumbag kid that's kinda fucked up inside her head, but then there's a plot twist and it changes quite a lot I think. I would have liked to know why she is like this though, it might have been kinda interesting. But since the movie was already too long for my taste, I think that adding more about Esther's history would have been too much.

I also watched the alternative ending, where you see that Esther is alive and well in her room and is being taken by the police. I did not really like this ending, it was kinda boring and it made me sad that she won.

The movie is very dark and has some brutal scenes. I think it was a very good movie but some moments were a bit annoying. Especially the parts where John's (Peter Sarsgaard) ignorance was being shown. Also, I really dislike movies where talking to each other seems to be difficult. If everyone would just talk normal to each other, there wouldn't have been a lot less issues. Of course, this is only a movie and talking would be taking out the tension, but a bit more talking would have been appreciated.


Overall this is a decent movie. It has some very story moments but also a few weaker ones. The acting of Isabelle Fuhrman is amazing and that makes it definitely worth a watch.

My personal rate: 6,5/10




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