The originality of The Orphanage certainly comes into question multiple times with parallels being drawn to Zemeckis’ What Lies Beneath, Hooper’s Poltergeist, and most assuredly Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. But what comes closest thematically is David Koepp’s extremely underrated adaptation of the Roger Matheson (I am Legend) novel, Stir of Echoes. Bayona’s film seems to be an amalgam of the aforementioned works; taking bits and pieces from each and working them into a well-crafted homage of sorts. Although The Orphanage does not offer true originality or the jaw-dropping performances of, let’s say, JoBeth Williams in Poltergeist or Nicole Kidman in The Others, it succeeds behind the prowess of its fledgling director.
First-time director Bayona constructs a complex and heavily nuanced visual experience laden with motifs and allegory. Calling upon J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan as a source of storyline cohesion, Bayona is able to present a surrealistic association of ideas that simultaneously delights and terrorizes the mind and spirit. His naturalistic approach in incorporating earth’s elements further drives the subjective subject matter by grounding the audience in the objective. The most intriguing aspect of this new director’s work is his well-conceived use of low-key lighting which supplies invaluable contrast and shadow play. In Bayona’s world, the static becomes kinetic and imagined horrors draw strength from those who do not believe.