Motståndaren

Interesting story with two amazing actors. The plot seems to be focused on Iman's dilemma (to come out or not to come out) but is also entails many powerful topics such as the nostalgia for the country you had to flee, the psychological violence of the process of seeking asylum in Sweden, the duty to be a flawless head of family, the homoeroticism of wrestling, and living between two distinct languages, landscapes and cultures.

The Swedish winter is both beautiful and threatening, it might be more than a season but rather the ultimate test for Iman: will he be granted asylum, will he and his family switch from trauma to a renaissance? The presence of the wolf reminds us than there is always obstacles, and than you might be your own worst opponent.

This film as also feminist through the resilience and dignity of Iman's wife, Maryam, who precisely does not want to become somebody's domestic housewife, but wants to enjoy her own slice of agency and happiness. She knows how to read an open secret and she knows she deserves more than a life of sacrifice and shame.

Both Iman and Maryam derserve a much better life, but can they achieve it together? What happens when you find the strength to choose the path to authenticity?

A very touching, complex, humanist film.

Iman, portrayed by Payman Maadi, adeptly portrays hesitations and second thoughts through his expressions. This movie truly highlights Payman Maadi's acting prowess. Conversely, his wife fails to effectively convey these emotions. Despite the story revolving around Iman and being presented from his perspective, his wife's inability to respond to him hampers their ability to convey the intended message to the audience.

Another compelling aspect of the movie is Iman's dilemma. He must decide between prioritizing himself or his family. Strikingly, neither choice brings him complete satisfaction; opting for his family leaves him feeling unfulfilled, while choosing himself induces guilt.

Iman is a wrestler who was once on the Iranian national team. When the police start looking for him, he flees with his family - wife Maryam and their two daughters. They end up living in one room in a run-down refugee shelter in Sweden, "near the Finland border", sometimes delivering pizzas on snowmobile for money. The process drags on with statements and appeals, while the daughters miss their friends and Maryam misses being a pianist and piano teacher.

His initial story was that a jealous teammate falsely accused him of being an anti-regime protestor. Then he tries to leverage the fact that his wife is pregnant. Hearing that elite athletes may get special dispensation, he joins a wrestling club, against his wife's wishes There he meets Swedish wrestler Thomas, who befriends him, and tries to get him to socialize with the team. Qualifying for international training camps, he meets his Iranian club, and gets into a fight with one of them.

Eventually, he confesses to the asylum officers that he is gay, has had an affair with a fellow wrestler, and that was what got him into trouble. This is the 1st he has acknowledged this to his wife. But his family just wants to "go home", regardless of the dangers that may befall them - including being pressured to get him to return.

There is a sub-plot about Abbas, a fellow asylum claimant who is repeatedly drafted to act as translator.

I like the depiction of the dilemmas posed to both sides of the asylum claimants - they may be genuinely in danger, but may not be able to prove it. There is a certain amount of chemistry between Thomas and Iman, though that does not help his cause.

While the story happens over several months, the landscape seems to be permanent winter. To alleviate the blandness, there are some scenes that are fantasy or memories. The most obvious fantasy is them living in a good house and getting their acceptance letter, which backtracks tofantasies of their actually getting their own apartment, and a scene of Maryam playing the piano at a community gathering as a memory.

The languages are Swedish and Persian, with a few English words thrown in. As in these subtitled films, I would have liked to know what language was being spoken, following the developing linguistic skills of the refugees.

The acting is good, there's no doubt about that, and the whole film has atmosphere and mood throughout, enough to keep us watching for the whole two hours.

The frustating thing is that the story isn't really told, it's only hinted at in vague terms, so it felt like and opportunity missed.

There are a few reviews here giving it top marks and calling it landmark cinema, but often film makers fall for the temptation of coming here to try and pump up theor movie with top notch reviews. In this case, they've also come back to upvote all their reviews and downvote the real ones, and I expect this review to get the same treatment. It's a shame, it would be so much better to let it find its own audience.

"Opponent" struggles with emotional depth, uneven pacing, superficial exploration of queerness, underdeveloped supporting characters, and underutilization of its eerie setting despite promising ingredients.

The film's twists are telegraphed early on, robbing them of impact. Viewers familiar with the genre will see them coming, and the lack of surprise undermines the tension.

Despite Payman Maadi's strong performance, the film fails to deliver impactful storytelling, leaving viewers disappointed and yearning for more depth and nuance.

On a positive note, the snowbound landscapes of northern Sweden create an eerie backdrop. However, the film doesn't fully capitalize on this setting. The cinematography hints at something more profound, but it never fully materializes.