"The Orphanage" delivers shivers without the chainsaws

Small children are scary. Hollywood and, in this case, whatever Spain's equivalent to Hollywood is have been drilling that fact into the moviegoer's subconscious for years - just look at "The Ring." Imported supernatural thriller "The Orphanage," however, manages to take a hackneyed subject and create a film which feels fresh, imaginative and absolutely terrifying. Think "Pan's Labyrinth," but with a few more nightmares.

Thirty years after her adoption, Laura (Belen Rueda) returns with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and adopted son Simon (Roger Princep) to the orphanage in which she grew up. Inspired by fond childhood memories, Laura plans to open a group home for sick and disabled children; however, upon his arrival at the new house, Simon begins to invent a cluster of imaginary friends, friends which bear an eerie resemblance to Laura's old playmates from the orphanage. On the group home’s opening day, Simon insists on playing in his fantasy world rather than meeting the newcomers and mysteriously vanishes. Suddenly convinced that her son's new friends, including the masked boy Tomas (Oscar Casas), are playing some sick game with her, Laura determines to play along for as long as is necessary in order to recover her son.

As with any good thriller, the majority of the shudders elicited by "The Orphanage" arise from suspense. The level of gore is minimal, and that which is present is tastefully grotesque without triggering any gag reflexes. In any other film this lack of actual blood might reduce the scare factor, but Tomas' disturbing, scarecrow-like mask more than makes up for the shortage. And despite a high volume of plot twists and turns, the film remains comprehensible, even benefiting from the element of surprise - provided that the audience doesn't cover their eyes for too long.

Acting-wise, the film is superbly believable. Princep is adorable as the innocent and highly imaginative Simon, and Rudea's character panics in the way that only a mother separated from her son can. Ranting and raving are not unusual. But all of this pales in comparison to the epiphany-laden plot and beautiful composition and scenery. While the orphanage of Laura's childhood was picturesque in a pretty sort of way, the mystery surrounding the site now lends it a hauntingly beautiful quality. Certainly fitting, considering that the house itself is haunted.

And speaking of haunted houses, there's a reason why neighborhoods are suddenly plagued with them every year on Halloween, and this is it. The building creaks and groans - footsteps in the hall, banging on the wall. A haunted house done right, it seems, becomes a character of its own. Considering that visual effects are essentially nonexistent, and the majority of visual stimulation comes from the typical horror film play of dark and light (and maybe a ghostlike, blank-faced child every now and then), the auditory effects are crucial, and they don't disappoint.

Nor does the cinematography, for that matter. The cameras creep and crawl throughout the house, seeming to move beyond the realm of simply capturing the characters' actions into a strange twilight zone in which they represent the idea that someone is always watching. Sometimes this means that the audience is able to see through the eyes of one of the movie's central fear-evokers, becoming more personally acquainted with the ghosts of the house. Sometimes the watcher is something even more elusive and mysterious.

From its memorable commencement to its heart-wrenching conclusion, "The Orphanage" embodies everything that a contemporary horror film should be. It's thought-provoking and original, but with an echo of something old, something loved, almost perverted, but beautiful nonetheless. Like a modern-day Peter Pan, Tomas transports Laura and Simon into a world of lost children and never-ending games, creating a film that is perfect for fans of horror and fairy tales alike.

"The Orphanage" (100 minutes) is rated R for some disturbing content. It is currently playing limited release at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema and Landmark E Street Cinema. In Spanish with subtitles.