American horror movies generally have a pretty simple structure. They have a creepy, old, abandoned mansion, some sort of possessed child, and a predictable series of events leading up to a mildly satisfying cliffhanger leaving plenty of room for a sequel (or, in the case of "Saw" (2004), three sequels). This makes them entertaining without forcing the audience to think very hard or concentrate too much.
Compared with this simple structure, the complexity of Spain's entry in the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award category, "El Orfanato" (The Orphanage), is a pleasant surprise. Regrettably, it's a surprise that ultimately takes away from the enjoyment and entertainment value of the film.
The story centers on a couple, Laura (Belén Rueda) and Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and their adopted son, Simón (Roger Príncep). The family decides to move into the orphanage where Laura grew up years ago, but has since been - you guessed it - abandoned. There they are visited by a social worker, Benigna (Montserrat Carulla), with information on treatments for Simón who, the audience soon discovers, is HIV positive. The social worker reappears only a few more times. However, Benigna is, in a typical twist, not who she seems to be at first. Without saying too much, this elderly woman steals a scene and successfully terrifies the audience in a movie tightfisted with frightening moments.
During the family's stay, Simón continues his relationships with imaginary friends, though their numbers have increased. It isn't long before these imaginary children's games turn into a parent's worst nightmare: Simón disappears. The final third of "El Orfanato" deals with Laura's search for the truth, as well as her son, in the haunted house and in the history of those who lived alongside her in the orphanage so many years ago.
The performances in "El Orfanato" are especially strong for a film of this genre. Rueda does a remarkable job showing anger with the police, the joy of spending time with her family and, most beautifully, devastation at the loss of her child. Her passion and force harken back to her turn as Julia, the compassionate lawyer, in the Oscar-winning masterpiece, "Mar Adentro" (2004).
The other lead of "El Orfanato," Roger Príncep, proves to be an adorable combination of a young Shia LaBeouf's curly locks and charm and Haley Joel Osment's ability to suggest terror with nothing more than his big, innocent eyes in "The Sixth Sense" (1999). The other actors come nowhere close to the levels of Rueda and Príncep, however; their mediocrity is easily ignored because of their minor roles.
Despite being only an hour and 40 minutes long, "El Orfanato" tends to drag. Director Juan Antonio Bayona has only directed two theatrical releases in the past, and unfortunately, his lack of experience comes across crystal clear. The pace of the film is steady and strong until Simón's disappearance when random, disconnected events are placed in succession and the director flashes forward six months. Although the altering of the space-time continuum may be necessary for some of the action at the end of the film, it doubtlessly slows down the pace and ruins the mood of suspense. No audience member wants to see a mysterious horror film that spans almost a year.
Stylistically, one of the best aspects of "El Orfanato" is the use of sound. Two particularly memorable scenes involve Simón's parents playing lightly on a piano. During more typical horror movie scenes, the music pauses dramatically, though nothing scary pops out during these moments of silence. Here, Bayona teases the audience's fears and defies viewers' expectations.
Someone once said "we fear what we don't understand." If this statement were true, "El Orfanato" might have been a more successful horror movie. The flow and structure are quite incomprehensible to the average American audience member, who is accustomed to terrifying ghosts and hands popping up out of the darkness.
Many simply do not have the patience to watch a woman struggle against her doubts in trying to find a sick boy who went missing months ago. To Spanish viewers, perhaps "El Orfanato" works as a chilling nightmare. However, it is painfully clear that, despite the English subtitles, something in "El Orfanato" is lost in translation.
