Movies
I Am A Late Adopter Of “Orphan”
I watched Orphan (2009) back in August, but it’s Halloween time so I am going to delve into the spooky barrel and visit my thoughts about a very under recognized creepy child movie.
“A husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she appears.”
Director: Jaume Collett-Serra
Writers: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Alex Mace
Staring: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder
Release Date: July 24, 2009
IMDB
I watched Orphan (2009) back in August, but it’s Halloween time so I am going to delve into the spooky barrel and visit my thoughts about a very under recognized creepy child movie.
Orphan walked so the M3gan (2023) could have its success and run. Megan made nearly 200 millions dollars worldwide, but just because it made more money doesn’t mean it is a better movie. Orphan benefits from two things.
The first is the creepy child premise. If you have a creepy child, your movie is going to be in okay shape. I am still scared of Damien in The Omen (1976) and Regan of The Exorcist (1973). More recently, how about Charlie in Hereditary (2018)? Sure she gets a rather abrupt end, but she also has a aura you can not and will not forget.
Orphan has Esther, played by Isabelle Hurman, has a unique look that helps her standout and at least exist in the same universe as some of the most classic youthful evil beings. The old-timey dresses, lace boys and articulate speaking style is a choice (made necessary by how the plot unfolds) that automatically makes Esther one-of-a-kind.
The second positive asset about Orphan is that it has Vera Farmiga in the lead role. Farmiga just knows how to act in horror movies. Her presence in a movie with a tinge of uneasiness stamps it with a “this will be at least solid” brand.
Orphan was early on in Faramiga’s horror movie pantheon. Is this the movie that James Wan saw that led her to being the foundational piece of The Conjuring universe? Her approach to the part of Esther’s adopting mother Kate evolves, beginning with sad hopefulness and devolving to angry desperation.
My appreciation for Farmiga’s performance comes from the fact that her mood switch is not sudden or rushed. It is a gradual slide into craziness. Kate’s background of alcoholism, her stillborn child, and her rollercoaster relationship with her husband John (Peter Sarsgaard) is written well by screenwriters David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Alex Mace. A round of applause all around.
The character of John is a sleazy character. It is a purposeful choice to make him difficult to like and empathize with. John is fully under the puppeteering skills of Esther, which should make us feel bad for him. However, John is somewhat of an asshole to Kate, which makes us not like him one bit. A confounding character, who is put in a truly confounding situation that starts this absolute bonkers finale of Orphan.
Esther attempts to seduce John because she loves him. YEs, the child attempts to get down and dirty with her adopted father. Yes, it is remarkably strange. Yes, it is incredibly awkward. It is meant to be, and it serves its purpose wonderfully. It also serves as the first step into the bonkers final revelations.
For those who haven’t seen Orphan, this is where you stop reading. Sorry. We are going to honor the big reveal.
So Esther is actually not a child. Esther is actually a 33 year old woman born with a rare hormonal disease called hypopituitarism which stunted her physical growth. Stuck in the state of a child, Esther has taken to killing people as a hobby. She has been linked to at least seven murders, and her new family has been marked as her newest victims.
As one types this out, one acknowledges that it is ridiculous. What a fucking weird plot twist to hinge your whole entire movie on. And the craziest thing is that the audience buys it. I bought it. I didn’t facepalm myself into oblivion. The movie doesn’t treat the audience with kid’s gloves while its killer “child” is paving her killer rampage. The realness and bluntness of Orphan seeps into the audience just enough for this crazy twist to seem plausible. It is based in science. It is a real disorder. It is something no one has ever heard of, but after this movie I have this possible plot twist in the back of my head. It was fresh to me watching, and its surprise and effect makes Orphan a lasting memory.
The scene of the movie that sticks with me the most is the murder of Sister Abigail (CCH Pounder). The runner of the orphanage believes Kate and the skepticism that she has regarding Esther. She comes over to visit, get a feeling, and deliver some information. Sister Abigail never makes it back to the orphanage because she is murdered with a hammer. Yikes. It is fucking brutal! Orphan doesn’t shy away from the violence, but here it is at its most potent.
Esther gets the nun to swerve off the road by throwing her new younger sister Max (Aryana Engineer) in front of the speeding car. Ruthless. Then Esther takes the hammer, beats her brains in, and then convinces the young child to drag Abigail into the woods. It is this scene where Esther shows she has complete control over Max, and she is not afraid to take out her fear and frustration on anyone or anything.
Also can we talk about how CCH Pounder looks like Tony Todd from Candyman (1992).
The movie works. It is a bonkers premise that works. Love a movie that is confident in itself. Love a movie that goes off the beaten path and creates something totally and utterly unique.
Orphan is streaming on Paramount+. Orphan’s successful sequel/prequel Orphan: First Kill (2022) is also on Paramount+. I will be tuning into Esther’s origin story at some point in the near future.
STANKO RATING: B
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