Orphan (2009)Orphan is a tense, expertly crafted psychological horror thriller released in 2009 and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard play Kate and John Coleman, a couple grieving the loss of a baby who decide to adopt a nine-year-old Russian girl named Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman). Esther is charming, gifted and deeply unsettling — and as her behaviour becomes increasingly disturbing, Kate begins to suspect that something is very wrong. The film builds its dread with real patience and intelligence, and Fuhrman's performance is one of the most remarkable child acting turns in horror history. The film's central twist — one of the most genuinely shocking in recent genre cinema — reframes everything that has come before and is best experienced knowing as little as possible. A modern horror classic that holds up to repeated viewing.Highlights Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther — An extraordinary performance; Fuhrman was 11 years old during filming and delivers a portrayal of calculated menace and surface charm that would be impressive from an adult actor. One of horror's great villain performances. Vera Farmiga's performance — The emotional anchor of the film; Farmiga makes Kate's growing terror completely believable and her isolation within her own family is one of the film's most effectively sustained horror elements. The slow-burn tension — Collet-Serra builds dread methodically and with real craft; the film never rushes, allowing Esther's true nature to reveal itself gradually and making each escalation more effective. The twist — Genuinely shocking, completely unexpected and entirely logical in retrospect; one of the great horror reveals of the 2000s that elevates the film from effective thriller to something genuinely memorable. The finale — A taut, physically intense climax that delivers on the film's slow build; Collet-Serra stages the final confrontation with real skill and the film ends on exactly the right note. Disc Details Title: Orphan Year: 2009 Director: Jaume Collet-Serra Cast: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures / Dark Castle Entertainment Certificate: 15 Region: Region B (UK) Format: Blu-ray Runtime: 123 minutes Genre: Horror / Psychological Thriller Barcode: 5055201809162 ConditionCondition: VG/VG — see our Condition Grading Guide.Browse our full range of Blu-ray titles. You might also enjoy our Compact Discs or Vinyl Records.
