Orphan

It’s about time a movie capitalized on the paralyzing phobia of orphans. That doesn’t stop *Orphan* from playing as just another evil kid horror--next in line to The Bad Seed, The Omen, Mikey and The Good Son. All that elevates Orphan is the title child performance by Isabelle Fuhrman, equalling the range of evil displayed by Linda Blair in *The Exorcist*. As Russian orphan Esther, Fuhrman is made up in antique clothes, resembling 10-year-old real-life killer Mary Bell. Her foster parents (Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard) welcome her into their home, hoping she’ll befriend their deaf daughter and embarrassed son. Esther’s ability to define the “f-bomb” as a verb barely hints at the murderous tendencies that follow. A better movie would have made all of this funnier, transforming cliche into a satire of contemporary parenting and childhood experience. Director Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax) only sees corruption of innocence as a vehicle for hardened thrills. Orphan moves through familiar exploitative shocks, never distinguished enough to have its own purpose. –Mark Palermo