Review Tuesday: ORPHAN franchise

I HATE movies with children in them and I especially hate HORROR movies with children. Therefore, in the many years since ORPHAN came out I had NO INTENTION of seeing this movie...

 

ORPHAN

2009

When a family adopts a girl, they get more than they expected.

I can't remember what the circumstances were, but we finally decided to watch ORPHAN at the beginning of this year. Or was it towards the end of last year? At any rate, we decided to watch this.  

After the loss of their daughter, a young family decides to adopt a girl to fill the void. However, when they bring Esther home, she's full of surprises. 

While you watch this film, it's initially puzzling. How would a small child know that? She seems way too clever for a nine year old... Before long, the pieces to the puzzle begin to fit and you have a combination OMG / WTF moment. 

This movie is one of the most original concepts I have seen in a horror movie in a long time. The suspense. The plot. The cast. EVERYTHING. This movie was just amazing, yet FUBAR. If you haven't seen it yet, I HIGHLY recommend it! 

AMAZON

 

ORPHAN:

FIRST KILL

2022

The back story story of Leena.

Okay, once we saw ORPHAN I started prepping to write the review when I stumbled across news that the prequel ORPHAN: FIRST KILL was in the can and waiting to be released.  So, I waited to see it before writing anything. However, I must admit, with all the delays I had very low expectations for this movie. I mean, the original was so unexpected, how can they top that?

BUT THEY DID!

Okay, Leena was a 30 year old violent, manipulative, sociopath committed to a lunatic asylum in Estonia. She happens to be the single most dangerous patient in the facility. She engineers the most unbelievable escape, then assumes the identity of a missing child from the USA named Esther, to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. 

Knowing what the audience already knows, you figure this family is in for it now. It'll be like the first movie all over again. 

NOPE!

This movie might be even MORE messed up than the original! The twists and turns catch you COMPLETELY by surprise. I went into this movie with really low expectations because how can this compete with the original? BUT IT DOES! It has all all sorts of new craziness that you never would've expected. Mrs. bax0jayz and I have been recommending this movie to everyone we know and I certainly do the same for my readers. The suspense builds. The cast is AMAZING. Great  /  troubling story. Worth your time to watch!

AMAZON

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