El Orfanato Movie Review

El Orfanato - The Orphanage (2007)

It’s a well documented fact, that horror movie trailers completely ruin the feature presentation. They give away too much plot, they show all the most violent and shocking parts, and in general get the viewer way too hyped up and excited. Then the movie premiers and WHAM! Huge let down!


At least that’s been my experience. And since there isn’t a horror movie trailer out there that my husband won’t go goo-goo ga-ga over, let’s just say that both my Stumble Upon and Netflix accounts have me pegged as a psychopath with a clear passion for blood and guts. It’s a little disturbing that every time Netflix makes a suggestion for me, it’s in the horror genre and usually portrays a very scantly clad leading lady sprinkled with blood. They know that once I see the recommended trailer, I will run, grab the laptop and add the movie to my list immediately.

That’s an extremely long explanation for a very simple realization. For once in a very long time, I have watched a horror movie that was better - much better - than its trailer. Presented by Guillermo Del Toro and winning over 30 awards, I am honestly amazed that there wasn’t more talk about this one. We’re talking about the guy that brought us Pan’s Labyrinth, and after the hype that movie got, you’d think the man pooped gold. He certainly doesn’t disappoint in 2007’s El Orfanato, or The Orphanage.
It’s a beautifully constructed story of a family moving back to the place the mother grew up, a seaside orphanage, where they are planning on opening up a home for special needs children. Right from the start, tension in the home grows. There is absolutely no computer graphics, the eeriness of the surroundings and the amazing sound editing will send chills down your spine for days after you watch the credits roll. Listen in particularly close to the “purring”, so creepy!! Just waking up in the middle of the night to my cat nestling next to me left me freaked out.
This movie brings the scares the old-fashioned way, purely with atmosphere and wonderful acting. The most refreshing feature is the lack of scenes thrown in simply for a quick scare, for an immediate jump from the audience. Each scene builds to a great crescendo on its own and piled together, they culmiate into a wonderful climax. It’s a little heartwarming too.

There are rumors of a remake in the talks. PLEASE no! The English subtitles are perfectly fine, don’t watch it dubbed. And watch this version, any remake simply cannot outdo this wonderful watching experience!




On a side note, if you’d like to see my list of Netflix favorites, become my friend at
http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/PqXzpiOZnMLmu7BVKJSP