horror film be few and far between these day while in fact it almost a dead genre in the west . gore and torture pornography centre film like saw and hostel seem to have steal the foundation of horror and instead of focus on truly scar people through suspense and meticulous direction and script and these film focus solely on shock people . now and i be all for shock people in horror film while it kind of come with the territory and but this be not solely what horror be . i usually regard a horror film a successful when a certain feeling or scene stay with me for a day after see it and if it can indent the terror and maybe even play with your mind after view it and the film have do it job . therefore i now look to asia for my horror because thankfully they still understand that while the genre must progress and it must also still scare . however and with the release of the orphanage it appear i should also keep my eye on spain . when first look at the orphanage plot outline i be less than enthral and in fact i almost do not watch it . i have never like haunt house film and even the shining fail to impress me and which be see a one of the best horror film of all time by most people . due to this i almost pass this film up and but i be glad i do not because i have finally find a haunt house film that i not only like but also could sincerely call horror . after say this and even though in my mind this be possibly the best haunt house film i have ever see it be still just that and mean do not expect to watch this film and see it completely redefine horror because it doesn not . the plot have be do many time before and many of the characteristic of previous film find their way into this one . it tell the tale of a woman name laura and who a a child live in an orphanage for a number of year before be adopt . at thirty seven she bring her family back to her childhood home in hope to turn the now abandon house into an orphanage for the handicapped . her son innocent game with imaginary friend soon develop into something more serious and disturbing and everything start go a bit strange have you hear this one before . i be sure you have and a you probably guess the story involve strange paranormal happening and ghost and creek in the floorboard and numerous other element see before . but even though you realise this while watch it and the knowledge that your watch a haunt house film wash away and the film completely draw you into it story and world . this be do by take everything about the genre that work well and simply focus on make these element the best they can possibly be without complicate thing too much . for this the first time director juan antonio bayona should be give huge credit . the film be perfectly pace and with the exact right amount of time spend at the begin introduce the character and make sure the audience be firmly root in laura character so that we experience everything with her a the film progress . due to this fine begin everything in the film work much good for it and the scare have great impact because we care what happen to laura and unlike some film they do not come at you in rapid succession . like in a comedy where the joke be build up to the punch line and the scare be give enough support before scream moment and even though a lot of them have be do before and these one actually genuinely scare . with there only be one location really use in the film and it appear the filmmaker have the time and resource to focus on use the house to create a natural atmosphere . instead of show off clever cgi effect and as much of the horror a possible and they opt for the subtle approach while create suspense with excellent lighting and diverse camera work . this give the film a more mysterious and realist feeling that help make the film world that much more believable . one film you could quite rightly compare the orphanage to be 2001 the others . it have a very similar plot and almost the exact same setting and but for some reason it never affect me . this could be down to many reason and but after watch the orphanage i think the acting have a lot to do with it . belén rueda performance a laura be quite simply excellent . like the direction she display all the normal characteristic of a character and wrap up in a surreal story during the course of the film while bewilderment and fear and insanity and all the other emotion a character must go though . but the reason why you care about her and feel so connected to her throughout the film be because she play a mother perfectly . there be nothing more important to her than her son and she display this so convincingly that when the end of the film hit and the affect of the conclusion resonate that much more because you feel the emotion that laura feel . all in all the orphanage be one of the best horror film of recent memory while it take the haunt house device and use it in a way i do not think any other film in recent memory have . the directing be a triumph and have great help from superb act by belén rueda and a mature understanding of how to craft a horror film . the only real negative of the film be it complete lack of originally and which be unfortunate and but it do give you a top quality representation of what it borrow from . therefore if you can get pass this flaw and you want an atmospherically rich and well paced and scary horror film then this be you best bet for modern cinema .