It takes extremely loving and understanding people to adopt an older child. Older orphan children may come with emotional baggage, lack of social skills, or even a dark, sinister past. Jaume Collet-Serra, director of House of Wax, delivers another suspense filled thriller with Orphan.
Devastated by the still birth of their long awaited third child, Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard) decide to adopt. Wanting to give the love they felt for their still born daughter to someone who needs it more than most leads the couple to choose to adopt an older child. While Kate does have apprehensions at first, they soon demolish when the couple takes a trip to the orphanage where they plan to adopt. Both John and Kate are strangely drawn to a little girl who politely introduces herself as Esther. The young child’s artistic abilities and remarkable manners entice the couple and soon, Esther is brought home to meet her new brother and sister.
From the moment Esther starts her life with her new family it is easy to tell that she is different, to say the least. She does not dress, talk or act like the other kids and quickly becomes the target of hurtful teasing. But, when the ringleader of the bullying “slips” from the top of a slide and breaks her ankle, Kate starts to realize, there is something wrong with Esther.
Kate notices that a series of horrific events seem to coincide with Esther’s arrival and tries to warn her therapist and husband, but with Kate’s alcoholic history, they attribute her accusations about the angelic girl to Kate being back on the bottle. With everyone doubting her, Kate must find a way to convince them that Esther is not what she seems before it is too late. The scenes leading up to the dramatic twist ending will have you questioning, “What is wrong with Esther?”
I give this movie five stars. Orphan will have you peeking through your hands and jumping out of your seat in fear. This movie also features a surprise ending that no one will see coming. This Movie was worth every cent of the nine dollar movie ticket and five dollar bag of popcorn.
Story by: Alyssa Hopper