The Orphanage

Just went and saw The Orphanage. It was a compelling enough film that I staid to watch it despite the freezing theatre and the fact that the subtitles were so low on the screen that parts of letters were cut off. I am always incredulous of movie theatres who are obviously losing viewers like mad to other media - - DVD, pay-per-view, streaming media - - and don’t make the theatre experience as inviting and pleasant as possible. Hell, they aren’t even shooting for competent (turn on the heat and frame the image properly).

Anyway.

The Orphanage centers on Laura (Belén Rueda) who purchases the beloved orphanage where she spent her childhood. She dreams of restoring it and reopening the long abandoned facility as a place for disabled children. Once there, Laura discovers that the new environment awakens her sons imagination, but the ongoing fantasy games he plays with an invisible friend quickly turn into something more disturbing.

I thought The Orphanage was a mixed bag that I enjoyed but don’t know if I could recommend. There are a half a dozen jump-out-of-your seat moments though some are cheap shots like loud slamming doors (though there were no cats suddenly jumping out). More creepy than gory (except for one major accident scene) the movie evoked everything from film classics like the original Cat People, a heavy Poltergeist influence, and even a trace hint of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake (mostly in the form of the creepy Tomas).

A slightly overlong Twilight Zone episode (like The Others, but much better). It also has an unusual happy ending that was going to be just a tad too sweet in a Steven Spielberg kinda way (and I thought that they could have ended it a scene earlier) but then they tagged on another scene at the end that took the edge off the sweetness.