rating:
(out of
4 stars)Mexico, Spain; 2007; aka The Orphanage
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona; produced by Guillermo del Toro, Álvaro Augustín, Joaquín Padro, Mar Targarona; screenplay by Sergio G. Sánchez
Starring Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla, Andrés Gertrúdix, Geraldine Chaplin
Guillermo del Toro produces this horror fantasy with dramatic elements and it shows. His 'El laberinto del fauno' ('Pan's Labyrinth') has the ame atmosphere and mixes drama, horror and fantasy in the same way into an engaging story. 'El orfanato' does not come close to that great film, but it works on the three levels. Leading actress Belén Rueda is responsible for the dramatic part, smart writing and directing make sure both fantasy and horror work occasionally as well.
The story is seen from the point of view of Laura (Rueda). A prologue shows her as an adopted little little girl in an orphanage, playing a game with the orphans. Then we meet her again, in her thirties. She just bought the orphanage, wanting to change it into a house of handicapped children. She moves in with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and son Simón (Roger Príncep). He is adopted as well, and HIV-infected, and since he is alone he befriends imaginary children. Of course when strange things start to happen, we wonder whether they really are imaginary.
The strange things involve an old woman visiting before she tries to break in the next night. Simón draws his friends and Laura recognizes one from her past. Then Simón disappears. At this time Laura believes something supernatural is happening and we believe her. Since we see everything from her point of view we are never sure whether all is happening for real or not. It could very well be she is just going crazy. Months pass and in those months strange things keep on happening. In the end Laura decides to bring a medium (Geraldine Chaplin) inside her house.
The medium is able to show some pretty convincing stuff, if you want to believe it all. Carlos does not, and he leaves, but we stay with Laura. The uncertainty of it all brings more tension than one might expect from a premise like this. Especially the first and final act have some terrific moments. In between we have to do it with the usual scares; sounds from another room, a noisy house, the wind, "just her husband"-shocks. It works better than it should.
It all leads up to a satisfying conclusion, mainly because it canbe explained in more than one way. Compared to most Hollywood shockers, filled with blood and gore, and ending terribly simple, 'El orfanato' is a relieve. There is no gore here and it seems some thought has actually been put in the story and its development. The slower middle part could be seen as a weakness, but only compared to start and finish of the same film. It took an easier path, maybe, but it kept on being filled with suspense.