Orphan: First Kill: Movie Review

Cast: Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, Matthew Finlan, Rossif Sutherland

Director:  William Brent Bell

There are some movies which house a devilish twist, a sleight of hand that changes everything you think you know about the characters you've invested time in.

2009's Orphan was one such film - a tale about an orphan child seemingly housed in an idyllic family desperate to love a youngster, its twist was an audacious one that gave the movie a propulsive edge.

But it's impossible to follow that with any other film, knowing full well that the trick that the child Esther was actually a homicidal maniac with a health condition is already revealed.

Sadly William Brent Bell's muddied direction, an awful lens filter and a film that waits for a twist to be unveiled means that Orphan: First Kill isn't quite the killer prequel you'd be hoping for.

Set in 2007, it's the story of how Isabelle Fuhrman's Leena breaks out of an Estonian institute and becomes the Esther of the 2009 Jaume Collet-Serra movie. Escaping to America, Esther becomes ensconced in the wealthy home of Julia Stiles and Rossif Sutherland's Tricia and Allen Albright, as it appears their missing daughter has finally come home.

Orphan: First Kill is a film of two halves - and in truth, it becomes a better film in its back half as its true hand is unveiled. 

It makes an intriguing use of a character and situation that you may already have preconceived ideas of and turns it all on its head, with a storytelling swing that really changes everything.

But getting to that point is a real slog.

It may only be a 90 minute film, but muddied lensing with everything covered in a foggy filter makes you think the movie's out of focus - it's disorienting and distracting. Early pacing of the film swings violently from one extreme to the other; from an initial break out sequence that's full of the requisite jump scares and terror moments, the film becomes a predictable slog of psychological one upmanship.

With some awful dialogue (one character screaming the phrase "Midget Grifter" is memorable for all the wrong reasons) and narrative misfires, there's a lot to dislike in Orphan: First Kill.

But there's also a lot to like too.

Julia Stiles is on a career high in this role, a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her family. She delivers a gritty performance that moves through a gamut of moments with ease.

And Fuhrman, thanks to some cleverly shot scenes, delivers touches that are welcome.

Ultimately though, Orphan: First Kill just isn't the psychological horror you'd hope for, and it's less than the sum of its parts. It may be that lightning doesn't strike twice, but this prequel comes close to capturing some of the magic - and then squanders it.