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First Kill Turning Orphan Into A Horror Franchise Would Be A Big Mistake
Banking on the success and controversy of its predecessor, Orphan: First Kill brings back the killer Esther for another disturbingly horrific tale, but it would be a mistake for it to become a horror franchise. Orphan: First Kill explores Esther’s journey to America, a little over a decade before she is adopted by the Colemans and it's discovered that she's really a murderous Estonian woman posing as a child. The prequel movie arrives 13 years after Orphan’s 2009 release, raising suspicion that it’s setting itself up as a horror franchise.
Orphan: First Kill witnesses 24-year-old Isabelle Furhman (who plays Clove in The Hunger Games) reprise her role as Leena Klammer/Esther; a child-like serial killer with a rare hormonal disorder that stunts growth, causing proportional dwarfism. First Kill tackles the origins of “Esther,” showcasing Leena’s escape from a Russian psychiatric facility and her first impersonation stint in America. Initially motivated by stealing, Leena infiltrates the Albrights' lives by pretending to be their lost daughter, Esther as a means to an end. But as time progresses, Leena/Esther grows a fondness for patriarch Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland) which drives her to seduce him in hopes of fulfilling her needs. Similar to the premise of the original Orphan story Esther sets out to eliminate the Albrights to have Allen for herself, but Tricia Albright (Julia Stiles) will stop at nothing to protect her family.
Although Esther makes for a tantalizing villain to watch on-screen, Orphan didn’t need a follow-up film to ascertain its greatness in the horror genre. Using First Kill as a gateway for another horror franchise risks the quality of future movies, especially with Esther’s modus operandi already established. It's a fantastic premise, but one that will grow stale with repeated use.
Esther’s Story Risks Becoming Repetitive (Orphan Didn’t Need More Movies)
In general, horror movies rely on mystery, suspense, and twists to gather the desired response from an audience. However, the expansion of a horror movie into a full-on horror universe threatens formulaic plots that transform into repetitive storytelling. The Conjuring Universe, one of the biggest horror franchises in the industry, is guilty of this. Albeit successful in producing box office horror movies, such as The Nun and Annabelle, The Conjuring franchise falls victim to exceedingly predictable resolutions and is heavily reliant on jump scares that lack impact. Other horror franchises aren't immune to this ailment; even The Purge, Saw, and Paranormal Activity have all suffered from the franchise strategy. Orphan: First Kill tries to recapture the interest and hype of its predecessor but jeopardizes Esther’s character integrity as a villain by providing an avenue to depict her struggles, ultimately humanizing her.
Despite Esther’s horror icon status, it can only go so far before her luster fully disappears like Lin Shaye's Elise Rainier from Insidious. Mayhap a different movie or an equally brutal and sinister new character might have been a better investment than dipping a toe into franchise building at the expense of a well-built character. Orphan: First Kill, while still a great treat for audiences, is unnecessary at best and shouldn’t be the launchpad for a new franchise.
