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The Orphanage
The Orphanage Image
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Metascore
74 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 86 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep
  • Summary: Laura returns to the stately manor house that holds such a special place in her heart. The orphanage was abandoned years ago; Laura and her husband, Carlos, plan to reopen it as a center for sick and disabled children. It will be a place where boys and girls--including the couple's beloved 7-year-old Simón--can play freely in the open air, enjoying the sunshine and the nearby beach. In its years of solitude, however, the orphanage has acquired a haunted, unhappy air. To get used to his creepy surroundings, Simón starts to have relationships with imaginary friends. Simón's circle of unseen friends quickly expands to include five more boys and girls, who tell cryptic stories and engage him in elaborate games that carry a suggestion of the sinister. Troubled, Laura allows herself to get sucked into her son's eerie world, which seems to resonate with a far-away and disturbing echo of her own childhood experiences. (Picturehouse)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    100
    Delivers more goose bumps than anything Hollywood has served up in years – which I hope does not mean that Bayona, a first-time feature director and music video whiz, will be enlisted to direct "Saw V."
  2. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Marc Mohan
    91
    Reaches truly terrifying heights as it becomes clear how possible the worst outcome can be. Like "Pan's Labyrinth," this is a movie about children made very much for adults.
  3. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Pete Vonder Haar
    60
    It's worth a look, even taking into consideration the lack of zombies.

See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 51
  3. Negative: 4 out of 51
  1. RegOz
    10
    This movie was brilliant! I can't think in anything wrong about it. Perhaps there are some small details that needed to be clarified -if they were not left like that deliberately-, but, in movies, as it is in life, there is always room for improvement. The performances were great, and the characters were perfectly elaborates, so the audience empathize with them. I actually felt pretty close to Laura and Simon, and also to the 'ghost' children and their story. Moreover, this movie manages to continuously surprise us. There is always suspense, which makes it thrilling. In fact, at time, I had goosebumps; that, even though I am not a person who gets easily scared. Further, I love the emotional component of the film, because it was not a movie that dealt merely with death, life, and the super natural world, but it was a movie that confronted us about how each of us deals with his/her humanity. The Orphanage questions our coping mechanisms to face, pain, loss, reality, the 'unknown', and more. I think that those people who see is a 'dumb' 'silly' 'pointless' or 'boring' movie are probably more into gore or have a very narrow perspective about what is horror. I have read some of the reasons why some put this movie just a '1 or 2', and frankly, in most of the cases, their criticism shows an absolutely basic analytical thought. So, if you like intellectual stimulation, this is the movie for you! It is magnificently done. Moreover, the photography is breathtaking, so is the landscape. I loved the ending I found it very powerful...and open to your imagination. I did have tears, and I am not an overly emotional person so that means something to me. I think I can easily watch this movie twice the same day, not just because of its beauty, but also to play myself a bit with the clues...I may be able to discover more about it.!..An end note: I did like this movie more than Pan's Laberynth. I find The Orphanage is much better. Pan's Labyrinth was beautiful -what I enjoyed the most was the art direction- but the whole story didn't really impressed me much. The Orphanage is Del Toro's masterpiece!… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. Austin
    10
    Terrific suspense and a great textured story. The acting is much better than I'd expected. The ending was one of the most moving to ever come out of the horror genre. Well worth your time! See it!… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. Jim
    3
    Good photography and directing. Boring story, not believable, some good acting from the mother, not frightening at all. It tries to be intelligent but fails miserably.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 51 User Reviews

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