I recently watched the Iranian film Kharchang (The Crab), featuring Hamed Ahangi, Gohar Kheirandish, and Hamid Goudarzi. From the cast alone, I had a strange feeling about it-such an odd combination of actors that it already felt like something wasn't quite right. But still, I gave it a chance. A coworker of mine, whom we half-jokingly call "The Error" because of his track record with recommendations, insisted I check it out. Against my better judgment, I did.
From the very beginning, it was clear this film was going to be a rough ride. The tone was inconsistent, the humor felt forced and outdated, and the acting just didn't mesh at all. Each of the three lead actors seemed to be performing in a completely different movie, and the lack of chemistry between them only made things worse.
The storyline, if you could even call it that, was all over the place. It lacked structure, direction, and any emotional depth. Scenes dragged on without purpose, punchlines fell flat, and the attempts at satire felt lazy and half-baked. It honestly felt like the film was trying to check every box-comedy, social commentary, romance-but ended up achieving none of them.
What made it even more frustrating was the wasted potential. With more thoughtful casting, tighter writing, and a clearer vision, this could have been at least an average film. But instead, it ended up being one of the weakest cinematic experiences I've had all year.
To sum it up, I didn't enjoy Kharchang at all. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's the worst film I've seen so far in 1404. I don't recommend it to anyone and give it a 3 out of 10. Save your time for something more worthwhile.
