A decent horror flick best known for its surprising, bonkers twist, 2009’s Orphan felt very much like a one-and-done outing.
But here we are over a decade later welcoming Isabelle Fuhrman’s Esther into our lives again, this time in a prequel that sees her escape from a psychiatric facility and travel to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family.
Bizarrely, Fuhrman is playing a younger version of the character despite the proceeding 13 years, although given Esther’s condition and the clever way helmer William Brent Bell shoots her - using low and high angles along with child body doubles - they just about get away with it.
We first see Esther bathed in flashing red light before the unloading of exposition to catch us up on her back story.
All she needs for her first kill of the movie is to stand on a chair and use her bare hands in the surroundings of a wintry asylum and, truthfully, the opening is the highlight.
Fuhrman is superb in a challenging role but isn’t allowed to cut loose often enough. One scene sees her with shades on, smoking while driving and listening to Michael Sembello’s Maniac on the car radio; we needed more of this and less of the family dynamics.
With the cat out of the bag regarding Esther’s secret from the previous outing’s climax, other tricks are employed - some more successful than others. Would a parent really not remember what their child looked like after a four-year gap? And from the moment she touches down in the States Esther gives off more red flags than you’ll see at a Liverpool game.
There is a twist here too that’s very different from, but not as jaw-dropping as, its predecessor’s that transforms the flick’s final third.
Much like Don’t Breathe 2 , this prequel pits Esther against more unbearable characters in an apparent attempt to make you root for her, with a lot of the dialogue becoming very coarse and mean-spirited.
First Kill is a decent attempt at extending the Orphan universe, and able to call on a top turn by Fuhrman, but you won’t want to take any more entries home with you.
● Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your movie or TV show recommendations to your fellow readers.
● Orphan: First Kill is showing in cinemas now.
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