ENT Blog

As a horror fan, it pains me to admit that the vast majority of films populating the genre these days are absolute crap.

Whether it be a half-assed remake or an ill-conceived PG-13 slasher, there doesn't seem to be much out there to get excited over.

To make matters worse, there's also what I call the 'Blair Witch Syndrome' to contend with -- where a boring independent film with even the most pedestrian of concepts receives tons of buzz simply because it came from outside the Hollywood machine.

Luckily, every once in a while, a flick comes along that exceeds the incredibly low expectations I had for it.

Enter "Orphan" -- a fairly well-executed little thriller, with surprisingly deep characters, which rises above its lame premise.

After losing their baby, John and Kate -- not plus eight -- decide they still have more love to give and want to adopt an older child.

After summoning the courage to visit a local orphanage, they meet a bright, artistic nine-year-old Russian girl named Esther. Feeling an instant connection with her and sympathizing with her difficult past, they decide she's perfect.

Esther develops an immediate relationship with the couple's deaf daughter, Max, but seems at odds with their son, Daniel. However, after a series of mysteriously violent incidences, it becomes apparent that Esther is more disturbed than John and Kate could have ever imagined.

Though, "Orphan" won't win any awards for originality, director Jaume Collet-Serra does a nice job of letting the intensity build before serving up the nasty payoffs. David Johnson's screenplay also offers interestingly flawed characters, each living with their own inner demons.

If you choose to dedicate time to "Orphan," you may just walk away surprised.

THE DISC

Fans of "Orphan" will be disappointed by the lack of special features.

Aside from a series of forgettable deleted scenes, the only other bonus is a hi-def 15-minute short entitled, "Bad Seeds and Evil Kids," which examines diabolical children in film.

Though it's an easy watch, the featurette spends almost as much time selling "Orphan" as it does highlighting other films.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Unless you were completely blown away by "Orphan," there's no reason to run out and scoop up the Blu-ray. However, those looking for an entertaining suspense flick won't regret giving it a rent.

After all, there far worse ways to spend 90 minutes -- punching yourself repeatedly in the face, for example.