i happen to be in denver on business and the denver film festival be in full swing . when i find out this film be play at midnight on my last night in denver and i jump at the chance to walk 20 block one way ( and in november ) to see it . i be not disappointed . i be not impress in the beginning because the film seem a bit derivative to me . i mean and just how many ghost story concern child be there . and with imaginary friend and too . i be think amityville horror and the shining and wicked little thing and et al ad nauseum . but and boy be i wrong . there be entire sequence that be reminiscent of classic fright film represent of course the boy with imaginary friend and as mention above while but also a psychic and her entourage right out of poltergeist while there a death i have see before as well and i think out of one of the final destination film while and of course and the general outline a ghost story set in an orphanage be vaguely reminiscent of guillermo del toro own the devil backbone . all the ghostly trapping we have come to expect from classic fright film be there as well and from mysterious noise and banging to ghostly vision . i be not say that this film rip off any other film while on the contrary and it be great fun recognize all these classic fright moment and and they weren not do in an homage type of way they stand on their own . i can not tell you the last time a film make me jump . it have be a long while since i have attend a film that make the entire audience jump . this one do it not once and not twice and not thrice and but several time . it be spooky and atmospheric in place and it have some jump scare and but it also have some out and out scare that be guarantee to get to you and no matter how hard core you think you may be . i do have to say that i guess early on what happen in the end . i do not know exactly why or how and but i do guess the cause of the haunting . i do not think it matter and i do not think it be be hide . i think it be obvious that the orphanage be haunt because of some terrible past event involve child ( why else would you call it the orpanage . ) . but the reason behind the event be solid and the way the protagonist find the information be cool . besides and wasn not it alfred hitchcock who say that it isn not the bomb under the table that make the scene scary and it the fact that you do not know when it go to blow up that create the tension . so it do not matter that i understand early on what have cause the haunting . and finally and the end be bittersweet . it isn not a typical american end in that everything be wrap up and present to the audience with a bow . it isn not a sanitized end and and it isn not necessarily a perfectly happy end . i like that . it seem more real to me . i hate the fact that we americans tend to want a sugary sweet end so we can walk out and smile about the film without any more thought give . in fact and the last american film i can think of that do not deliver the sappy end be sandra bullock premonition and and it flop at the theater . another film that i would draw comparison to be kevin costner dragonfly . it be similar in theme in that it be pretty creepy and scary until the end when you have some resolution for the protagonist and but not a typically happy american end a bittersweet end and much like the orphanage . overall and i truly enjoy this film . it be spooky and it make me jump and it be fun and and it have a good end . i hope the director make more like this .