Orphan: First Kill (2022) spoiler free review
“Who wouldn’t want to adopt her?” Any person who has seen Orphan (2009) would know the answer of that question. Announced on February 2020 as Esther the prequel Orphan:First Kill has finally arrived. Confirmed on November 2020 the return of Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther / Leena surfaced questions about how an actress of 23 years old at the time would be able to reprise her role as a child of 9. A body double, makeup, and camera tricks were enough to create the illusion that Fuhrman is still the child that we saw 13 years ago. Orphan: First Kill is available on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.
After escaping from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Esther travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Yet, an unexpected twist arises that pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost.
Official plot
The cast includes Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan, The Hunger Games, The Last Thing Mary Saw) as Esther / Leena Klammer, Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You, Save the Last Dance) as Tricia Albright, Rossif Sutherland (Possessor) as Allen Albright, Matthew Finlan (Brazen) as Gunnar Albright, Hiro Kanagawa (iZombie) as Detective Donnan, and Samantha Walkes (The Kings of Napa) as Dr. Segar. The film is directed by William Brent Bell (Stay Alive, The Devil Inside, The Boy) and written by David Coggeshall (The Haunting in Connecticut), David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (Orphan, Red Riding Hood, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), and based on the characters created by Alex Mace (Orphan, Red Riding Hood).
My opinion
This is a story that was told 13 years ago. Before being adopted by the Coleman’s Leena tricked a American family, tried to seduce the father, failed and killed them all setting the house on fire being the only survivor. But was that all that happened? Of course not. Orphan: First Kill brings us back to Estonia in 2007 and then Connecticut were we will presence Leena’s first act as Esther.
Isabelle Fuhrman didn’t lost her touch on portraying a character that must look and act like a child but think like the grown woman that she really is. With the help of makeup and a body double Fuhrman is able to play her part perfectly. Stiles on the other hand was a surprise on the film playing a role that we haven’t seen her before, even more after the fact that her character brings an unexpected plot twist that separates this film from the first one.
The first act feels like a copy of Orphan (2009) but after the plot twist is introduced early than expected the film takes it own route on this story. While it doesn’t has the same impact as the reveal of Leena on the first one is still a good plot twist that you won’t see coming. Calling this film predictable would be ridiculous as it’s a prequel, we know the base of the story, and the middle to the end is completely different from what could be expected. The film is aware of the campy moments and embrace them making them as enjoyable as the rest of it.