Name: Orphan: First Kill
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Released: 2022-07-27T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Isabelle Fuhrman, Matthew Finlan, Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland, Hiro Kanagawa

The knife plunge into Detective Donnan’s neck isn’t just a shock moment—it’s the point where Orphan: First Kill reveals its true colors. Up until then, director William Brent Bell’s prequel to 2009’s Orphan plays like a darkly comedic thriller, with Isabelle Fuhrman’s Leena Klammer impersonating Esther Albright while flitting between wide-eyed innocence and calculating menace. But once the blood starts flowing in earnest, the film shifts gears into something messier: a psychological slasher that knows it’s not as clever as it thinks.

Bell, who also directed The Boy (2016) and its sequel, has a knack for unsettling atmospheres, and First Kill benefits from his ability to wring tension out of claustrophobic spaces. The opening scenes in the Saarne Institute—where Leena is confined before her escape—are visually striking, with high-contrast lighting and a gothic aesthetic that recalls classic horror films. That tone carries over into the Albright family home, where Leena inserts herself as Esther, turning the domestic space into a battleground of deception.

Fuhrman, reprising her role from the original Orphan, is the film’s undisputed anchor. Her performance walks a tightrope between vulnerability and viciousness, and she sells every beat with unsettling conviction. The scene where Leena seduces and then murders a guard in the Saarne Institute is a standout, showcasing Fuhrman’s ability to shift from playful charm to cold-blooded calculation in an instant.

Julia Stiles, as Tricia Albright, is another highlight. Her character is initially written as the typical protective mother, but Stiles infuses her with enough complexity to make their confrontation with Leena feel genuinely unpredictable. The dynamic between Fuhrman and Stiles is the film’s emotional core, particularly in the scenes where Tricia realizes she’s dealing with something far more dangerous than a runaway child.

The rest of the cast, however, feels unevenly developed. Rossif Sutherland (as Allen Albright) and Matthew Finlan (as Gunnar Albright) are saddled with underwritten roles, serving primarily as obstacles for Leena to overcome. Hiro Kanagawa’s Detective Donnan gets one of the film’s most memorable moments—his gruesome death at Leena’s hands—but his character lacks depth beyond being a foil for Tricia’s secrets.

Where Orphan: First Kill falters is in its narrative structure. The film tries to juggle too many twists and turns, resulting in a plot that feels convoluted and, at times, incoherent. The prequel framing raises more questions than it answers about the original film’s timeline, and some of the later reveals—such as Tricia’s cover-up of Esther’s death—are telegraphed well in advance.

The pacing issues are particularly evident in the film’s third act, which descends into a series of increasingly ridiculous set pieces. The fight between Leena and Tricia on the roof of the burning Albright home is a case in point: it’s visually impressive but undermined by its own absurdity. Similarly, Allen’s sudden shift from oblivious artist to decisive action hero feels out of place given his earlier passivity.

Thematically, Orphan: First Kill explores ideas of identity and maternal instinct, but these themes are never fully fleshed out. Leena’s impersonation of Esther raises interesting questions about the nature of truth and deception, but the film doesn’t delve deep enough into these concepts to make them resonate. Similarly, Tricia’s actions—while compelling in the moment—lack the emotional weight needed to make her character arc feel truly impactful.

In comparison to other films in the genre, Orphan: First Kill falls short of the psychological depth and shock value of the original Orphan. However, it shares some similarities with films like Malignant, which also leans into its campier moments while delivering a twisted narrative. The film’s target audience is likely fans of the original Orphan and those who enjoy psychological slashers with a touch of dark humor.

Ultimately, Orphan: First Kill is an uneven but entertaining prequel that relies too heavily on its twists and turns at the expense of coherent storytelling.