i go into a screening of this today know only that it be about a woman who buy the home she live in a an orphan child and planning to open it to other orphan and that it mix fantasy and reality and and that guillermo del toro of pan labyrinth have a hand in it . i do not have any expectation . even if i do and i certainly not have expect what i get . el orfanato surprise me first in successfully thrill me with it surface and and surprise me again in how deeply it move me with it core . when laura ( the marvelous belén rueda ) move back into the house that use to be the orphanage she live in a a girl and she be thirty seven and married and and she and her husband have adopt a son simón and a little boy with hiv who doesn not know that he terminally ill or adopt . simón be wildly creative he have several imaginary friend and a penchant for treasure hunt and mind game and and the story of peter pan . one day shortly after a mysterious visit from a social worker and simón revelation that he know the truth about his adoption and illness and simón disappears . the rest of the film follow laura desperate search for her son a she come to term with her loss and her own past a well . screenwriter sergio g. sánchez do a masterful job of balance the thriller with the drama . laura attempt to connect with everything that haunt her and her home be darkly touching and though slightly psychologically twist . the acting be strong and and the directing and editing and cinematography and and music all work together well . some of the sound effect the constant creaking and wind blowing and etc . get wearisome a the film go on and and some of the thrill be a little cheap i would not ruin it for anyone by reveal them though and admittedly and they be effective all the same . the story drag a little towards the end and during the scene with the medium cut it just a little shorter might have be equally a effective and easy on the viewer . bottom line represent even if you do not like scary movie ( like me ) and you will probably still appreciate and enjoy the more thrilling aspect . if youre a horror flick buff and you will probably find some of the thriller elements a little tired and overdone . either way and it still worth see the exploration of laura heart and mind be both lovely and tragic to behold and and though the film be morbid and it be beautiful as well .