Do you remember Esther? *Spoiler Warning* The 30-year-old woman who uses her medical condition as a free pass to be a child and be with married men? 12 years have gone by since we met Esther and she is back with a somewhat prequel to her story. In Orphan: First Kill we learn about the prior events that got her to the orphanage where she got adopted and did pretty bad damage to a family.

It’s rare for a film’s prequel to be good as the original. However, Orphan: First Kill, a story by Alex Mace and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, scores multiple home runs! First off, Mace and Jonson-McHoldrick treat fans to shocking twists that are unpredictably good. Your mouth will drop multiple times in disbelief. Secondly, viewers will get more character development surrounding Esther (played by Isabelle Fuhrman). So well developed that you can actually catch yourself having some compassion for her (Yes! hard to believe). Thirdly, Director William Brent Bell brings a different style of horror to this film, that hasn’t been seen in some time. It’s visually appealing and makes the movie memorable. Bell does a great job of creating illusions to the eye that are picturesque. For example, Bell takes actress Isabelle Fuhrman, now 25, and does an extraordinary job of making her look like she did when we first saw her onscreen in the 2009 film. Viewers will ask themselves, “How did Bell do that?” It’s pretty clever. (Check out behind-the-scenes interviews after streaming the film on Paramount+ because it’s pretty fantastic and fascinating movie magic)

Isabelle Fuhrman was born to play Esther even at age 25. Everything about her as Esther looks the same, the pigtails tied by ribbon, the choker, and 19th-century dresses. It’s pretty astounding. Fuhrman’s impressions of Esther are terrifying. Fuhrman makes Esthers one of the most iconic villainous creatures made for the horror genre. It’s been 12 years since the 2009 film and Esther is still perfection to the bone.

I highly recommend Orphan: First Kill. It’s fun! It’s entertaining! It’s Wickedly good! As good as the first film.

Available in Theaters, On Digital, and Streaming on Paramount+ August 19.