The Orphanage (2007)

Another great Spanish horror film from the 00's! Much like the others it's more atmospheric and psychological type than a gorefest. I would describe it as something what you'd get when you crossed Pan's Labyrinth with The Others... very emotional!

The Orphanage concerns a former resident who ultimately is adopted and returns to the abandoned institution as an adult to open a home for disabled children. Prior to the opening, her son, who is also adopted, disappears. Most of the plot involves the mystery of what happened to her child and her friends at the orphanage. I have to say that for most of this movie I was bored out of my mind due to the slow pace. The concept itself was okay and the story is all tied up in a tidy bundle by the end, but getting there was quite tedious at times.The acting was okay, but bordered on the melodramatic in certain parts. However, the mom's desperation and frustration over the loss of her son is appropriate. I think the characters did okay overall with the lines they had been given considering the slow pace. I just wish the film would have had more oomph. Some of the sets and cinematography were quite nice and interesting as well and the orphanage itself has quite the creepy feel to it. The film has a fair amount of atmosphere.IMHO, this film had the horror equivalent of Crimson Peak, a movie that I actually did like. The horror element in The Orphanage is quite tame, so if you are looking for thrills and chills, I don't know that this film will do it for you. I don't know that it will do for a hardened horror fan either. Mystery, suspense and drama fans might like it if they don't mind the supernatural elements and the snail's pace.

In ghost story terms, there's nothing particularly new about 'The Orphanage' – it follows the modern ghost story formula pretty well, i.e. family moves into new location, strange things happen, no one believes them, contact expert to clarify supernatural element and then climax. The Orphanage ticks all those boxes and in that order. However, just because its story isn't that original, doesn't mean it's bad.It's Spanish, for a start. I don't know why I always give foreign films more leeway when it comes to acting terms. Maybe it's the subtitles that mean I can't really tell a 'good' foreign actor from a 'bad' one. But, the acting certainly seems well up there to me. It's about a couple who have adopted a young boy and move back into an old orphanage to refurbish it and open it up for taking on new children. However, things go more than a little wrong when their son starts developing 'imaginary' friends and then vanishes completely during the opening event and, no, they don't find that he's been taken into the TV, ala, Poltergeist.See? Nothing particularly new there, but it's the film's overall tone, direction and acting which elevates it about the – literally – thousands of similar clones which infest DVD bargain buckets at your local petrol station. The setting is great and I've already mentioned the acting. But it's simply the foreboding feel of dream and despair that keeps you watching.Basically, if you like your ghost stories slow-burning and creepy (and don't mind subtitles) then give this one a go. It moves slowly to a sensible ending and doesn't have any hordes of CGI monsters or major action sequences, so don't be expecting a horror marathon of epic proportions. Just expect something subtle and dark.

I liked this movie. Not so scary which is fine by me as I think what you can't see is scarier then a horrible looking ghost. The house has a gritty feeling about it which is well portrayed here, reflecting the more and more disturbing anomalies that begin to happen. Been Rueda is a good actress and very relatable as a mother whose child is missing. she is also o good looking women even thou she really shows her age. At the time of the movie she was 42 and showing her age but in the movie they made her 36 which is really not believable. why not say what you can see. overall a nice movie not to scary so you can watch it alone on a Friday night.