There is horror and then there is Orphana deeply disturbing and frightening film that penetrates your skin.
Of everyone being a ghost in Others to otherworldly ritual technology The cabin in the woods, twist endings have long been a tradition of some of the greatest horror films. There’s no better way for a horror movie to end than to give you one last scare: preferably one that changes the nature of the whole movie you’ve just seen.
Of course, most people might think of M. Night Shyamalan’s infamous plot twists and how they sometimes sacrifice movie feel for pure shock value. However, when a twist ending is done right, it can bring new meaning to a movie, making you appreciate the little plot details of the movie.
Orphan
2009 Orphan flew under a lot of people’s radar – and that’s a real shame for horror fans. Starring Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard, and amazingly produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, is about a devastated couple after the stillbirth of their third child.
Heartbroken, Kate and John Coleman decide to adopt a 9-year-old Russian girl named Esther from an orphanage. It looks like Esther might be the perfect child, being particularly adorable with her stepfather John. However, as happens in all horror movies, things get worse pretty quickly.
Esther begins to show severe antisocial behavior and even shows that she knows more about the adult world than most girls her age. As Kate grows suspicious of Esther’s behavior, the girl begins to blame her for all the terrible things going on in their house.
Now, this all sounds like the typical “problem kids” kind of movie: almost like a the good son type of movie ; but here is where Orphan turns around and reveals the shocking truth behind Esther’s odd behavior. Watch out for spoilers ahead, especially if you’re planning on watching the movie for the first time!
It turns out that Esther is not really 9 years old, far from it. Her real name is Leena Klammer, and she’s a woman born with hypopituitarism, which means that even though she looks like a girl, she’s actually 33 years old. That’s why she was so in love with John and blamed Kate for her own despicable actions.
The art of the twist
The reason why Orphan’The twist of s is so effective that it never betrays the narrative that preceded it – on the contrary: it complements the rest of the film, as the reveal functions as the film’s satisfying third act.
Sure, Orphan isn’t the only horror movie that’s mastered the art of pleasurable plot: other movies like Roman Polanski’s classic Rosemary’s baby had applied the same technique in the past. The idea of a twist isn’t to make everything that came before it irrelevant, just to give it a different meaning.
That’s why movies like The cabin in the woods are so loved by critics, while others like Shyamalan The village are cited as some of the worst examples of turnarounds in movie history.
We know throughout the movie that Esther is the one behind every evil that befalls the Colemans, we just don’t know. Why Where How? ‘Or’ What.
If you are interested in a film that has a satisfying plot and excellent acting and atmosphere throughout the ordeal, definitely give Orphan a watch.
It’s also worth mentioning that the movie is set to get a sequel very soon, so give it a watch to find out what to expect (or not!) from its sequel.
Orphan: first murder
Serving as a prequel to the 2009 horror film, Orphan: first murder (Originally titled Esther) gives us Esther’s origin story and reveals how she became a slayer. With Julia Stiles as Katie Mauerova and Isabelle Fuhrman Reprising her role as a young woman suffering from hypopituitarism, the film (directed by William Brent Bell) is set for release in 2022.
The synopsis reads as follows:
Leena Klammer poses as “Esther”, the missing daughter of Katie Mauerova and Richard Mauerova. Katie becomes convinced it’s not his daughter, while Richard disagrees, believing his wife is suffering from paranoia and hallucinations. Leena tries to separate them, causing major problems for the family. But Katie was quick to discover Leena’s dark past and murderous history, threatening her, Leena becomes outrageous, committing her “First Kill”.
Talk with THRFuhrman (now 24), who was recently seen in Escape Room: Tournament of Champions and The newbiediscussed playing a child again:
“I was there every day. I know how we did this. I know all the stuff, and I’m so messed up right now, because I’m nine years old again, and it doesn’t make any sense… I was like, how do I revisit this part and then play in a way convincing a child? Because that was the easiest part last time, the hardest part was trying to be an adult. Now the hardest part is that I must be a child.
