2009 saw the release of a psychological horror film with one of the most surprising twists (one that could possibly even catch M. Night Shyamalan off guard). And while surprise endings have long been a tradition of the horror genre, Orphan stood out as a movie that was both deeply disturbing and fun. 13 years later, Orphan: First Kill hopes to recapture that same magic. But can lightning strike twice?
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What is Orphan: First Kill about?
With the cat out of the bag in the original movie, director William Brent Bell decides to go back in time with Orphan: First Kill to focus on Esther/Leena’s origins. Using trick photography, two female child actors as body doubles and really great make-up artists, Isabelle Fuhrman returns as the terrifying killer who is constantly on the run.
After orchestrating an escape from a psychiatric facility in Estonia, Leena travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But just like in the first film, all is not as it seems.
While the majority of Orphan: First Kill is fairly formulaic, with multiple kill scenes throughout, halfway through things take an unpredictable turn and the film presents a new and interesting twist to Esther’s story. Without giving away too much, the new bit of information is what ultimately saves this film from being completely generic and too familiar.
The title is misleading
While the title promises to show the very beginning of Esther’s decay into madness, Orphan: First Kill presents us with a story that begins with the character already deemed a threat to society. Locked away in a psychiatric home with doctors poking away at her, we aren’t given the real reasons why she preys on helpless families or how her murder spree actually began.
Instead, we’re presented with a character that we now already know. We know what she is capable of. We know what lengths she will go through to get what she wants. What we don’t ever really get to know is the why.
Personally, I would have loved to have seen more of Leena’s struggles with hypopituitarism.
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Is the twist enough?
One of the best decisions the filmmakers make here is introducing Julia Stiles as Tricia Albright. While Fuhrman is still interesting to watch, it is Stiles who truly captures the audience’s attention. She is strong and intense, carrying a lot of the film on her shoulders. Without her, the second half of the film wouldn’t work at all.
Heck, I could even argue that Stiles’ Tricia manages to humanise Esther to audiences.
Ultimately, however, Orphan: First Kill is a film that has both ups and downs. On the one hand, it deserves praise for adding another spin to the already creepy tale (even if it creates a few holes in the continuity). On the other hand, it feels like a missed opportunity to be something much more.
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