Set almost entirely within the confines of the creaky house, Laura uncovers answers to a deeper mystery about the fate of other children at the orphanage. Meanwhile, a fake social worker in has shown up late one night, inexplicably to reappear much later in a mountain village, sign of Simon’s disappearance during an inauguration-day party.

Bayona has infused The Orphanage with an understated sense of style that certainly suits the material quit well, while there's no denying the effectiveness of the film's promising, sporadically creepy first half. But there comes a point at which screenwriter Sánchez essentially drops the more horrific elements - creaking woodwork and hinges, slammed doors and secret panels giving onto basement stairs and mental instability - within the story and instead transforms The Orphanage into a thought provoking film about a woman forced to confront her past.

In most aspects this film is very well made. Thanks to some amazing performances, a shocking Gothic setting and a flawless sense of dread, what we wind up with is a true horror classic. Comparisons to Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth are indeed appropriate. Throw in a dash of dark humor, some epic eeriness and some fine performances - Belén Rueda is mesmerizing in virtually every scene - and you have a superbly taut horror film that tunnels its way directly into your subconscious and gets ready to do damage.