Paramount+ is the Only Place to Watch One of the Only Good Horror Prequels

It’s so tough for a prequel to achieve the level of greatness established by its predecessor, let alone beat the original at its own game. It certainly happens from time to time, and that seems to count doubly for horror movies. There are rare examples – like Annabelle: Creation, The First Purge, and Ouija: Origin of Evil (though that one had a low bar to beat) – but they’re conspicuous for their scarceness. Though these instances may be few and far between, they certainly exist and should be celebrated accordingly. A more recent example that fits the bill is a horror prequel directed by William Brent Bell.

Orphan: First Kill takes place prior to the events of Orphan, catching up with an adult Estonian woman called Leena (Isabelle Fuhrman), who has the physical appearance of a young child, as she escapes confinement in a psychiatric hospital. Leena ultimately assumes the identity of a missing American girl called Esther. When Esther is “reunited” with her parents, Allen and Tricia (Julia Stiles and Rossif Sutherland), things initially seem to go well. Yet, as Esther “rejoins” her “family,” strange things begin to happen, and we quickly realize that absolutely nothing is what it seems. Even in the age of streaming abundance, Orphan First Kill is only available to watch on Paramount+, and it’s worth looking out for.

This 2022 Horror Prequel Is Even Better Than Its Predecessor

We’re not alone in our assessment that Orphan: First Kill outdoes the original. One need look no further than the aggregate film review site Rotten Tomatoes to verify that claim. Orphan is narrowly fresh on the site, with a critical approval rating of just 60%. However, Orphan: First Kill boasts a more impressive approval rating of 70% with an even higher audience rating.

As for why critics favor the prequel, there are a number of good reasons for that — not the least of which is the way the follow-up takes some of the best parts of the original and runs with them. The original features moments of camp that make the flick stand out from similarly themed offerings, yet the film never goes into full-fledged absurdity like Orphan: First Kill does.

Read Next

Orphan 3 Announced With Isabelle Fuhrman Returning as Esther, But How?

Orphan: First Kill hits the ground running, thanks, in no small part, to the fact that the cat is out of the bag from the get-go. Rather than waiting to learn that Esther isn’t a child at all, we know that going in. That allows the film to start with a crazy, unhinged baseline, and then just continues to build.

Seeing as the first film hinges on a twist, it seems only appropriate that the follow-up does as well. We won’t veer into spoiler territory to tell you how; we’ll only say that the twist here is just as shocking as the one featured in the original, if not more so. At the point at which all is revealed, we learn of a chilling revelation that forever shifts the dynamic between Esther and the couple that takes her in as their missing daughter.

Aside from a great twist, the flick also features a terrific sense of humor. Screenwriter David Coggeshall dreams up a series of chilling scenarios that are often tinged with campy humor. The scene where we see Esther (who looks like an 11-year-old) piloting a stolen car with a cigarette pressed between her lips is a stroke of genius. There are several other standout sequences likely to make you chuckle, but we’ll stop there so as not to spoil all of the comical setups in store for the uninducted.

On the whole, Orphan: First Kill takes the groundwork laid by its predecessor and improves upon it. This is a prequel that leans heavily into the camp value inherent to the setup and delivers an undeniably good time in the process. Moreover, this follow-up effort features a killer twist and a wicked sense of humor. If we’ve successfully sold you on checking out the flick, you can find the film streaming on Paramount+.

If you’ve experienced Orphan: First Kill, we’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you rank it compared to the 2009 original? Let us know in the comments section below!