Blu-ray Review: The Orphanage

Executive producer Guillermo Del Toro presents this creepy tale that harkens to a deranged version of Peter Pan. The film borrows some elements from classic films that have come before it, but it earns kudos because it does so effectively. The film also manages to send shivers down the spine as well as sadness.

Laura (Belen Rueda) and her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) have bought the mansion that was used as an orphanage and one that the orphaned Laura had been in as a child. She has grand dreams of turning the mansion into a home for disabled children. She’s brought her adoptive son Simon (Roger Princep), who is HIV positive but he doesn’t know it or that he’s adopted, to the house and hopes that he’ll have a happy life in the new house.One day she and Simon are walking on the beach and explore a sea cave. Inside the cave she sees Simon talking to someone, but when she turns the corner there’s nobody there. Simon says that he’s met a new friend named Tomas and draws a picture of the new friend, an eerie one that has the new imaginary friend wearing a creepy mask. She’s concerned, but thinks nothing of it because Simon has had imaginary friends before. A strange old lady named Benigna (Montserrat Carullaas) arrives and says that she’s a social worker to check up on Simon and hands Laura Simon’s medical file. Laura is suspicious of the lady and later in the evening finds her emerging out of one of the buildings on the grounds with a shovel, but succeeds in scaring the old lady away. When the police are called in, Detective Pilar (Mabel Rivera) confirms Laura’s suspicions in that no social worker named Benigna works for the local agency. The next day Simon plays a scavenger hunt game that he said that Tomas invented and the winner gets a wish. The clues lead Laura and Simon to the locked drawer that the medical records are locked in. Laura gets angry and this causes Simon to yell that he knows that Laura is not his mother and that he’s going to die. When asked where he found all this out he tells that Tomas told him so. The next day Laura is holding a big party for the special needs kids and when Simon won’t come downstairs and insists that she go and see Tomas’ little house, she becomes angry, and slaps Simon. He disappears during the party, but Laura sees a little boy wearing the creepy mask that Tomas was wearing in the drawing. She’s locked in the bathroom by the creepy kid. When she’s freed she frantically begins looking for Simon, but he’s vanished. As the months roll on, she begins to try everything to try and find him. The Orphanage is “presented” by Guillermo Del Toro and I can’t but see some similarities between his work and this film. The film is actually directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and I think that he’s done quite a good job with his directorial debut.

I usually rip on people for paying homage (Hollywood for stealing) to films of the past. That usually is reserved for those that homage and then do it badly. Bayona brings images from Robert Wise’s masterful Haunting and uses all the creepy atmosphere that made that classic so chilling (the same cannot be said for the rancid remake by Jan De Bont, still leaves a bad taste in the mouth). It does add some great touches that are only found in this film. The creepy kid (though used in many other films mind you) features one of the more simplistic, yet disturbing images that has been in any film in a while. There’s a childhood game where the players can only move forward when the person who is “it” is facing away from them and that figures eerily in later in the film. Belen Rueda plays the harried mother Laura well and Geraldine Chaplin is effective in a cameo (I didn’t know she spoke Spanish). I’m very disappointed to learn that an American remake is in the works since this original version plays so well and the liberties taken for American audiences will most likely “dumb it down and tart it up.” I guess there’s some hope for it that Del Toro will again act as producer. The film harkens back to those classic haunted house films and even has a touch of Peter Pan thrown into the mix. I find some similarities to Del Toro’s own Pan’s Labyrinth in that it’s possible to reason that it all takes place in the head of one of the characters. An excellent film that was sadly shafted in the international category when it did not make the cut after Spain nominated it for the prize. It hits all the right creepy notes, but is saddled with an odd R-rating for “disturbing images.” Oh well, I don’t know what those MPAA people are smoking since I’d probably say it was PG-13 at the highest. The Orphanage is presented in 1080p anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include the 17 minute “When Laura Grew Up” which is about how the production came about. Next is the multipart (totaling 10 minutes) “Tomas’ Secret Room” which highlights the filmmakers (director, composer, etc.). The 9 minute “Horror in the Unknown” is about the makeup effects. The 3 minute “Rehearsal Studio” has cast auditions. There are also 4 trailers under marketing campaign. Disappointingly, the special features above are all presented in standard definition. Although interesting I was still expecting more and was disappointed that they all weren’t in high-def since they were brief when compared to the lavish stuff they usually highlight Del Toro’s discs with (guess it was because he was only the producer this time around). The only high-def features are a still gallery and some posters (under marketing campaign). The Orphanage is a grand film that harkens back to when cinema was scary and atmospheric. Those that liked the works of Guillermo Del Toro will be pleased, but this vision is from director J.A. Bayona who looks like has a promising career ahead of him.