Orphan

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2:26

Orphan

R

2009

2h 3m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

164 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Devastated by the loss of their unborn baby, Kate and John decide to adopt a child. At the orphanage, both feel drawn to a little girl named Esther and soon the couple take their new daughter home. But when a dangerous series of events unfolds, Kate begins to suspect that there is something evil lurking behind the child's angelic exterior.

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Critics Consensus

While it has moments of dark humor and the requisite scares, Orphan fails to build on its interesting premise and degenerates into a formulaic, sleazy horror/thriller.

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Chuck Wilson

Village Voice

Jul 6, 2010

Decidedly amoral.

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Cliff Doerksen

Chicago Reader

Aug 20, 2009

Director Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax) endows this ugly mess with a slew of unintentional laughs, but not enough to repay the 123-minute time suck.

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

Aug 12, 2009

3/5

One of the good things about ORPHAN, which is directed by Jaume Collet-Sera, is that it takes itself quite seriously and manages to bring a surprising level of originality to the potentially familiar material.

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Brian Bisesi

Horror Movie Club Podcast

Aug 5, 2026

2/5

To pull off the big trick that Orphan has up its sleeve, the film creates a series of events so unbelievable that some viewers might be too frustrated to enjoy the pay off. A great performance from Isabelle Fuhrman buoys an otherwise lackluster film.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 12, 2025

4/5

The trio of leads make this a tense and uncomfortable watch, with the ultimate reveal only adding absurdity into the experience.

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Joshua Ryan

FandomWire

Oct 1, 2024

9/10

It’s a film that has not only stood the test of time, but continues to evoke a visceral physical and emotional response. That is the sign of a fantastic horror film.

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Harry H

@Movies10 1 day ago

Yah i dont agree with the 60% rating on RT this movie was tense.

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Jagdpanzer T

@RT44446946 2 days ago

"Orphan" is another thriller that relies far too heavily on comically oblivious characters in order to drive the plot. It's just far too frustrating to be very enjoyable. Most avid film watchers are going to figure out what's going on very early in the story too, meaning you'll just be waiting around for them to confirm what you already know as if it's some big surprise.

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Robert P

@Superbad Oct 5, 2026

Orphan is a *3* star Movie!

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D P

@RT45936356 Sep 23, 2026

Started watching the film recently, and I realized I had already seen this before. Doesn't say much about its memorability.

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Ricardo D

@RT43154676 Aug 26, 2026

It’s a good movie, especially considering the lead performances. The script has a few clichés and some flaws that we have to overlook to stay immersed in the story's fantasy—such as the father's sheer stupidity, the fact that they never saw the child naked, or the X-ray failing to reveal that the bones didn't belong to a child. If you can look past those issues, it makes for a solid watch.

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Drew F

@Drewfrost20 Aug 5, 2026

Great story. Keeps you engaged throughout.

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Jaume Collet-Serra

Director

Vera Farmiga

Kate

Peter Sarsgaard

John

Isabelle Fuhrman

Esther

CCH Pounder

Sister Abigail

Aryana Engineer

Max

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2:26

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Synopsis

Devastated by the loss of their unborn baby, Kate and John decide to adopt a child. At the orphanage, both feel drawn to a little girl named Esther and soon the couple take their new daughter home. But when a dangerous series of events unfolds, Kate begins to suspect that there is something evil lurking behind the child's angelic exterior.

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Producer: Joel Silver, Susan Downey, Erik Olsen, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Leonardo DiCaprio
Screenwriter: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Appian Way, Dark Castle Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Violent Content|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 24, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.6M
Runtime: 2h 3m

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