[Review] ‘ORPHAN: FIRST KILL’ impales expectations with killer-good twist in creepy kid follow-up

Preston Barta // Features Editor

ORPHAN: FIRST KILL

God bless the ORPHAN films. Seriously. 

Just when you think a prequel to the 2009 original film is going to bleed out its thrills because the cat’s out of the bag, along comes ORPHAN: FIRST KILL thirteen years later to skewer any preconceived notion. Director William Brent Bell (THE BOY films) and returning star Isabelle Fuhrman fashion a follow-up that’s jam-packed with punk-rock energy, on-the-edge-of-your-seat intensity and some well-laced humor. I mean, if the cat is out of the bag, you might as well have fun, and fun it has – a lot of it!

Critic’s Note: I strongly suggest knowing as little as possible going into FIRST KILL. Just know it feels custom-made for horror fans chasing some originality with their prequels and sequels, and it delivers in spades. But if you desire to know more, read on.

The prequel sees Fuhrman reprise her role as Esther. Although, this time she’s impersonating a missing child to con her way into a wealthy American family (including Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland and Matthew Finlan) before wreaking havoc in a predictable fashion. Stiles plays Tricia Albright, the troubled mother who slowly comes to realize her newfound daughter may not be who she claims she is. 

For about two-thirds of the film, FIRST KILL spins a web that plays out like you’d anticipate. But then, it hits a point where it opens up the floodgates to craft something truly smart and refreshing. As entertaining as the first 50-or-so minutes are, watching Esther hatch her plan and engage in more activity than the film’s title lets on, FIRST KILL earns its stripes by its big reveal. Much like the original film did with its DON’T LOOK NOW-like twist, the prequel pulls the rug from under you and injects some very unexpected meta-humor into it that will have you laughing as much as it chills you to the bone. 

Fuhrman, who has been getting the chance to stretch her abilities as an actor with great works like THE NOVICE and THE LAST THING MARY SAW, brings back that two-faced fire with her childlike innocence and ferocious play that’s not to be messed with — or it’s a head shove to the wall or an arrow to the gut for you, buddy. But because we’re not getting played as much as the characters this time around, the moments that Esther has to herself are the most fascinating. She sparks up a friendship with a house rat that’s actually quite tender, creating more empathy for her and her plot to succeed. It’s a hell of a performance, and I hope there’s more to see. Because this critic is not ready for Fuhrman to hang up her red bow just yet. Keep those kills coming!

Stiles is an always welcome presence in the horror genre, and this may be her most invigorating turn yet in the movie arena that’s known to make us shriek. She has some lines that are to die for, especially one she says Esther about her husband (Sutherland). And Sutherland’s character has been trying to navigate the loss of his missing daughter for some time, putting his passion for the arts on hold until he can feel whole again. The relationship that he has with Esther (and their shared love for painting) is one of the shining stars of the feature. Finlan’s part brings about some horror joy, too. Any movie that uses Interpol’s music to introduce its character is pretty cool in my book.

ORPHAN: FIRST KILL absolutely slays. It doesn’t chain itself to the limitations that often accompany horror continuations where it rinses and repeats what was done before. It’s clear the filmmakers and talent didn’t want to produce another film in a series. The film is witty, clever and just straight-up awesome, pumping new life into its creepy-kid formula. Take a swig!

Grade: B+

ORPHAN: FIRST KILL releases in theaters, on digital and streaming on Paramount+ on Friday, Aug. 19.