Orphan (2009)

**

"Orphan" is the story of a loving family who wants to adopt a little girl.  The mother, named Kate, was pregnant with her third child, but she had a miscarriage.  She feels that she has all this love to give, so she wants to adopt a new child.  They adopt Esther from a girl's home.  She is 9 years old and from Russia.  She is very odd and strange, but bright at the same time.  After a while, strange things start to happen when Esther is around.  She starts to lie, cuss, and accidents always happen when she is near.  We find out that Esther isn't such an innocent little girl.  She is manipulative and violent.  She threatens her new brother and sister and she is a murderer.  Esther is hiding something, but no one knows what.  Can the family figure out her secret in time to spare their lives?

"Orphan" is a very original horror movie.  I wasn't expecting to like it, but I did.  I'm glad that it was not a ghost movie or possession movie.  I am so sick of those.  This is just about someone who is genuinely crazy.

The movie starts to get really good when Esther shows her true self.  Esther kills a woman who may take her back to the orphanage.  She hides her murder weapon in the tree house and she sees her brother watching her.  Her brother did not see anything, but she wants to make sure.  So late one night, she goes into his bedroom with a razor blade to his neck.  She makes sure that he will not say anything by threatening him.  She tells him: "If you say anything, I will cut off your little hairless prick before you even know what it's used for."  This is a great line and it really is the beginning of an unexpected roller coaster ride of pure evil.

Esther's new siblings know that she is evil, but they will not say anything to their parents because they fear for their lives.  Kate eventually figures out that all of these bad things are happening because of Esther, but no one will believe her.  Not her husband or her shrink.  She is the only one that can stop Esther.

"Orphan" is a very original horror film that has a nice twist.  The acting was great and the suspense was... well...  suspenseful.  You should really see this movie to find out what the hell is wrong with Esther.

B+  I recommend it.