Each decade has its share of moments that we all remember, whether it be something we recount in a positive manner or a negative one. As the first decade of the new millennium was closing out, there was an unexpected psychological horror that took me by surprise. I first heard about “Orphan” by watching a short video pertaining to it on a CNN television at the DFW International Airport. The detail that still stands out in my mind was when the reviewer warned of an opening scene that would shake us to our cores (in my own words; not verbatim). Actually, the opening scene had less to do with the titular character and much more to do with the real heart of the story: tragic loss giving way to hopeful redemption, but being swallowed up by surprising tragedy all over again. If you have NOT seen this particular movie as of now, do yourself a favor and watch it before you try too understand what my vague terminology is all about. Frankly, if a prequel is released in the ordinal of a sequel, it should be viewed as such, at least the first time around. In other words, do NOT watch “Orphan: First Kill” before seeing “Orphan.” Deal? I have digressed long enough…
I first read about the premise of this prequel two or three years ago. I was intrigued because “Orphan” had slowly become a favorite of mine from the previous decade. However, we are now in the decade beyond that one. Yes, 13 years have passed, and typically when a follow-up film takes that long to unfold, it does not yield great results. I will never forget how much I wanted to forget seeing “Dumb & Dumberer.” It was as though I wanted to just keep the original movie as a solo project (in my memory) for the rest of my natural life. It was THAT bad. However, I still prefer to judge each case independently. So, what of THIS one?
For starters, the only people who have returned for the new project are: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Alex Mace, who provided the original screenplay of the previous film; Isabelle Fuhrman (“Escape Room: Tournament of Champions”), who is reprising the role of the titular character. Consequently, Alex Mace also is on the books as a producer for this current movie. What stood out to me once I heard about the impending release of “Orphan: First Kill” is that they were electing to use old school effects to pull off the trickery for ‘Esther,’ which was the orphan’s actual name in “Orphan.” Regardless of what you know or do not know about the 2009 film, the use of traditional effects, such as makeup and lighting and forced perspective all make sense from a practical level. If you ARE aware of what went on in “Orphan,” I think you ought to be as intrigued as I was when I first heard about all this.
Unlike the original movie, this story is more centered around ‘Esther,’ who is going under the name Leena Klammer. She is now in Estonia, two years prior to the events of “Orphan,” with no surprises to her behavior, like before. Lighting and shadows hide her appearance and stature and it is pretty effective, here. The cinematic style has something of a throwback vibe and I like it. I could, also, sense something off about this character, which is to be expected, but the overall awkwardness had me wondering how much of that was deliberate and how much of it is due to the acting of Fuhrman. She navigates her way out of the Saarne Institute, where she lives, manipulating other peers, as well as the staff, via seduction and clever movements.
That same awkwardness, from before, carries over with Leena as she makes her way to Connecticut, as a long lost daughter to a family there, comprised of: Julia Stiles (“The God Committee”) as Tricia Albright, Rossif Sutherland (“Possessor”) as Allen Albright and Matthew Finlan as Gunnar Albright. 
Again, I was wondering if the awkwardness was intended or if it was just the way the actors/actresses were getting along with each other onscreen. Well, as it turns out, the former might well have been true. A startling revelation, though not nearly as big of a payoff compared to “Orphan,” comes to fruition and changes the entire tone and energy of the film (for the better). Note, the only, other significant character from this point forward is played by Hiro Kanagawa (“Every Breath You Take”) as Inspector Donnan. His demise overlaps with the unexpected turning point in the story.
The rest of the film is mostly about who is going to do what to whom within the constraints of the Albright family. 
‘Esther’ does not possess the same level of menacing prowess due to the way the tables are turned on her and it almost creates an atmosphere which could elicit sympathy for this character, though it did not do so for me. It IS interesting to see how certain details about ‘Esther’ have come about and when you recall them from the first movie, they make sense and are well-executed as story elements in this film.
What bothered me, once the story really became more intriguing, was the plot holes that simply did not add up, overall. Could a family that has not seen their presumably missing daughter for several years truly buy an imposter if they were compelled by emotions to do so? 
As it so happens, this really only applies to one member of the family and it makes this person seem truly naïve and gullible. However, as I sit here, now, that concept is not so different from what was seen by the end of “Orphan.” The key difference is that we, the audience, are not fooled in the same way we were back then. Perhaps, this can be chalked up to a fundamental flaw, rather than bad writing or a plot hole, as aforementioned.
Overall, I did not hate “Orphan: First Kill,” but I was, also, let down just a bit. The turn in the plot was pretty absurd, in my view, and did not do anything to advance my feelings for Leena Klammer. If anything, it made me think less of her as an iconic horror character. I cannot recall the last time I felt so conflicted or mixed about a movie, which might mean that this one deserves another watch before totally making up my mind, but writing a review is not about summing up emotions after multiple viewings; it is about addressing the experience after a firsthand account. Would I be willing to rewatch this movie and change my mind about what I think of it? Yes, I am fairly certain of that. Would I be open to a sequel next time around, despite the ending of “Orphan” maybe not being ambiguous enough to fully warrant such a project? Yes, indeed I would. For now, I am stuck in the middle, wanting more than what I originally “got” from this prequel.
Director: William Brent Bell (“Separation”)
Screenwriter: David Coggeshall
Story by: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Alex Mace
Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Rossif Sutherland, Hiro Kanagawa, Matthew Finlan, Julia Stiles, Samantha Walkes as Dr. Segar, Dave Brown as Dr. Novory, Lauren Cochrane as Officer Leahy, Gwendolyn Collins as Anna Troyev, Alec Carlos as Mike and Jade Michael as Madison
Distributors: Paramount Players (United States) and Sierra/Affinity (International)
Release date: July 27th, 2022 (Philippines) and August 19th, 2022 (United States)
