The Orphanage (2007)

Director: J. A. Bayona

This has been described as "the new Pan's Labyrinth" (The Guardian), which, as far as I can see, can only be put down to lazy journalism. Sure, the film's Spanish, supernatural and has something to do with Guillermo del Toro (he co-produced), but there is little similarity beyond these superficial elements, and in any case, The Orphanage arguably packs a greater punch than any of del Toro's work has.

I won't outline the plot, since the gradually building layers of mystery and discovery are one of the great joys of the experience. Suffice to say that, by about half an hour in, almost without you realising it, the film has you gripped like a vice. There are moments of unbearable tension that rely heavily on immediate, sensory devices such as sound and lighting, yet unlike with most horror films, these moments remain with you long after the credits have rolled. This is due in part to a use of implication that really gets inside your head and messes with it, and in part to the devastating emotional weight of the protagonist's plight; the story is a genuinely affecting portrait of loss, desperation and anxiety, with a psychological complexity that recalls Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. To this end, the film is anchored by a superb central performance from Belén Rueda.

It's rare to find a horror film that has the potential for longevity, and value beyond cheap shocks - in short, a good horror film that is also a good film, period. The Orphanage is a good film.