Summary
Despite a mildly inspired twist the filmmakers have no idea what to do with, Orphan: First Kill is a frustratingly standard horror picture.
This review of the Paramount+ film Orphan: First Kill does not contain spoilers.
I have to say, horror has always been my least favorite genre, but watching Orphan in 2009 was one of the first that stuck in my memory for years. The script by David Leslie Johnson-McCormick (Aquaman) has such a wild, crazy, absurdly ridiculously entertaining reveal; you will forgive anything that happened before that mind-blowing sequence. What happened? Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) turns out to be a 35-year-old woman (Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome). Though, Orphan was a fairly standard horror film up to that point. It is nothing you haven’t seen before, going back to films like The Good Son. As a fan of the original, I worried the prequel would have little room to operate. And my fears were realized almost immediately.
Where did the film go wrong? For one, it’s not so much a prequel as half an origin story. Here, we find our Esther — whose real name is Leena Klamme before taking over that persona — in a mental institution in Estonia. Besides a brief explanation to a new art therapist, Anna (Gwendikyn Collins), on why she ended up there, we don’t see why or how she came to the breaking point of being a sociopath. (We actually don’t see her “first kill” at all). From there, she plans an escape in one day. I must say, these are the most inept guards in film history. The entire setup is effective but ludicrous. Especially when this was arranged on her feet. Trust me, when it’s based on leaving on someone’s first day on the job, it leaves more questions than answers.
After Leena escapes, she researches missing children in the United States. She comes across a missing child named Esther, that looks just like her. A police officer finds her on a swing at night. She claims her name is Esther. The authorities contact her family, the Allbrights. Her mother, Tricia (The Lake’s Julia Stiles), and brother, Gunner (Matthew Finlan), are skeptical of her. However, her husband, Allen (Rossif Sutherland), has finally woken out of his grief with the return of his baby girl.
Like we have said before, that is your basic setup, and I won’t discuss any more details for fear of giving away spoilers. I will say the script takes a left turn I did not see coming. Honestly, I see most twists, and this was interesting. The problem is director William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside), and writer David Coggeshall (The Haunting in Connecticut 2) have no idea how to execute it. Yes, they have fun for a while, this plot point pitting Esther versus Tricia. Yet, the explanation for keeping such a storyline going makes no sense compared to the risk.
If you look at Bell’s filmography, straight horror films with a low budget, he repeats the pattern here with a standard ending that is bloody and boring. And while the filmmakers do an adequate job of making Fuhrman look childlike, there are a few scenes that are just plain bad. For instance, one where she has clear forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet. These aren’t scenes when she is alone but when being paraded in front of Albright’s friends.
If Coggeshall pulled the ripcord on the reveal earlier and played up the battle of wits more, Orphan: First Kill would have been a much stronger film experience. If you are a genre fan, you may find this passing of the time somewhat enjoyable. However, this horror film improves nothing on the original and is well aware of its limitations.
What did you think of the Paramount+ film Orphan: First Kill? Comment below.
You can watch this film with a subscription to Paramount+.
Article by Marc Miller
Marc Miller (also known as M.N. Miller) joined Ready Steady Cut in April 2018 as a Film and TV Critic, publishing over 1,600 articles on the website. Since a young age, Marc dreamed of becoming a legitimate critic and having that famous “Rotten Tomato” approved status – in 2023, he achieved that status.
View All Articles from Marc Miller
FAQs
"The orphan" was a fantastic genre movie that really surprised many in a positive way. The prequel "The first kill" however, is showing endless logic gaps, lacks coherence and tries to copy many good elements from the first one while awfully failing.
How did they make Isabelle Fuhrman look so small? ›
As Bell said: "We had three body doubles and everything from her wardrobe had to be sized up, but also fit her adult body like a child. Anytime adults were around her the camera would be at an angle to force the perspective–tricks that have been done in Hollywood movies forever."
Why is Orphan: First Kill so blurry? ›
We had to make that the look of FIRST KILL, because if they were going to want to achieve the Esther effect practically, we had to have the softest image possible. That choice meant we had to soften the overall image up, because we couldn't just cut to close-ups of Isabelle and have it softer than the rest of it.
What was Esther's mental illness in Orphan? ›
According to the research findings, Esther's character is a psychopath. First, there are five psychopath behaviors: liar, lack of feeling guilty, lack of empathy, manipulative, and aggressive. Second, Esther becomes a psychopath due to biological and environmental factors.
What was wrong with the movie Orphan? ›
Controversy. The film's content, depicting a murderous adoptee, was not well received by adoption groups. The controversy caused filmmakers to change a line in one of their trailers from: "It must be difficult to love an adopted child as much as your own" to "I don't think Mommy likes me very much".
Who is the real villain in Orphan: First Kill? ›
Tricia Albright is the overarching antagonist of the 2009 horror film Orphan and the main antagonist of its 2022 prequel Orphan: First Kill. She is the overprotective wife of Allen Albright and the mother of Gunnar and Esther Alrbight, the latter being a girl who "Leena Klammer" takes the persona of later on.
How does Esther look so short? ›
Her age at the time, and her ability to play Esther's inherent darkness, helped facilitate the now-famous twist that Esther is not a little girl, but a woman in her 30s with a genetic disorder that makes her look like a child.
How did they make Esther look older? ›
Along with camera angles and lighting, using prosthetics, makeup, and minimal CGI is what really brings 8-year-old Esther to life. In the original Orphan, the audience has no idea that Esther is an adult until the end, so using subtle makeup and clothing to make her appear older was all that needed to be done.
How did they make Esther look short in Orphan? ›
Some of the cast who were of the same height as Isabelle Fuhrman while in frame had to wear tall platform shoes while standing next to her to make her appear shorter, acting as forced perspective.
Is Orphan: First Kill a flop? ›
Orphan: First Kill grossed $5.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $38.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $44 million.
Parents need to know that Orphan: First Kill is the prequel to the 2009 horror movie Orphan. It tells Esther's origin story. Thanks to Isabelle Fuhrman's fine performance and a clever script, it surpasses its predecessor. But it's still quite gory and definitely isn't for kids.
Is it worth watching Orphan: First Kill? ›
Orphan: First Kill isn't as gripping as the original film, but its self-aware tone helps make this prequel better than one might expect. Content collapsed. Orphan: First Kill is entertaining, and even when it doesn't compare to the original movie, it's fun to watch what happens to this family. Content collapsed.
Why does Esther wear fake teeth? ›
As it turns out, Esther wore dentures to hide her adult teeth. Logically, cutting up her food into smaller pieces makes eating easier for her while she wore the dentures and mimicked the eating habits of a child. Esther also deliberately skipped out on dentist appointments because it would reveal her secret.
Why did Esther try to seduce John? ›
Because of all the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father along with her dwarfism, she became desperate to find love and ended up trying to seduce her adoptive fathers, and this was where the plot of the film unfolds.
What did Gunnar do to Esther? ›
It turns out that Esther got killed in an accident thanks to her brother, Gunnar, and his roughhousing. However, Tricia couldn't break this news to Allen, so she dumped the body and let him think Esther was missing.
Is Orphan: First Kill worth watching? ›
Orphan: First Kill isn't as gripping as the original film, but its self-aware tone helps make this prequel better than one might expect. Content collapsed. Orphan: First Kill is entertaining, and even when it doesn't compare to the original movie, it's fun to watch what happens to this family. Content collapsed.
Was Orphan: First Kill successful? ›
Orphan: First Kill grossed $5.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $38.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $44 million.
Should I watch Orphan: First Kill First? ›
“Orphan: First Kill” is a slasher from director William Brent Bell which serves as a prequel to the 2009 film, “Orphan.” Unfortunately, I will have to spoil the first film before really talking about “Orphan: First Kill,” so I recommend that you watch the original if you haven't already.
Why did the mom in Orphan: First Kill kill her daughter? ›
While Kate (Vera Farmiga), the mother in the first film, was fine killing "Esther" to protect her kids, Tricia is willing to do it to protect her secrets and her kid.
