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The Orphanage: Its old hat! SPOILER ALERT!
Take the Sixth Sense and The Others, add a giant dollop of The Shining and a sprinkling of Poltergeist and then shove in the oven for 106 minutes. After that time you should have something resembling The Orphanage, but remember, if you want that top-drawer seal of approval from the 'critics', then make sure its in spanish with subtitles, or it'll be dismissed as hackneyed, Hollywood dross.
To be fair, its very well made and very well acted (especially the leading actress) but, bar the title sequence, its completely un-original and has no ambiguity whatsoever. There are some good scares and impressively eerie moments, but these are all ultimately undone by a stupid happy ending. I do not go to see a horror film (or supernatural thriller or whatever you want to call it) to come away wrapped up in the feel-good factor. I want to feel awful! I want the same kind of discomfort and dread i felt as the titles rolled on Rosemarys Baby and The Shining, not the cosy warmth of Its A Wonderful Life and E.T. This could have been so much better. Shame. 7/10.