Under the Shadow

I saw this at the Phoenix Film Festival. I'd say this is tied for my favourite horror movie from that festival (with Eyes of my Mother...also amazing).

Ghost movies are really the only horror films that stand of chance of scaring me these days. There were a few times during this film that I was completely tense, and a few times, absolutely on the verge of terror as to what was going to happen next. The film was just so well done in terms of pacing.

Unfortunately, ghost movies also suffer from poor endings, quite frequently. This ending was better than most, but something about it didn't sit right with me, and that's all I'll say to prevent spoilers. You may disagree entirely. I'm a tough one on endings.

I really hope this gets a wide distribution, because if you're at all a fan of ghost movies, this movie is just fantastic. A definite must see!

Under the Shadow is a captivating blend of horror and social commentary, skillfully portraying the struggles faced by women in patriarchal Iran, set against the tense backdrop of the Iran-Iraq War. The film centers on Shideh, a mother who is left to care for her young daughter, Dorsa, while her husband is away. The oppressive environment restricts her in nearly every facet of life-whether it's her inability to study or the requirement to wear a hijab in public. Even her small acts of rebellion, like practicing aerobics at home, are shadowed by the constant fear of being reprimanded. These elements paint a realistic and disturbing picture of the difficulties faced by women in conservative Iran, adding layers of realism to the horror that eventually unfolds.

The supernatural element enters subtly and intensifies as the movie progresses, with the appearance of a Djinn that seems to be a manifestation of Shideh's fears and repressed anxieties. The Djinn's attempts to take her daughter symbolize the many forces in her society that seek to control and restrict her freedom. Her fight against this supernatural force becomes a reflection of her fight against societal expectations, ultimately symbolizing her desire to break free from these oppressive norms. The ending, where she musters the courage to confront the Djinn and save her daughter, suggests the power of a mother's love and the strength needed to break free from societal shackles.

This film is a one-of-a-kind take on the horror genre, as it weaves supernatural elements with social issues, making it more than just a ghost story. It's a smartly crafted narrative that uses horror to highlight real-world struggles, giving a voice to women's issues in a highly restrictive environment. Under the Shadow is a thought-provoking one-time watch, with solid storytelling that makes it a standout in the horror genre.

Ingeniously carving a ghost story on top of its grim setting, Under the Shadow is a smartly crafted, patiently narrated & brilliantly performed Persian horror that makes excellent use of its foreboding atmosphere to deliver the chills, and remains a highly gripping & deeply uncomfortable experience from start to finish.

Set in 1980s Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war, the story of Under the Shadow follows a mother & her daughter who find themselves being haunted by a mysterious entity in their house after refusing to leave the war-torn city. As more residents leave the building, the paranormal incidents only intensifies inside their apartment.

Written & directed by Babak Anvari in what's his directional debut, Under the Shadow is a fusion of family drama & haunted house horror, with former focusing on its character's struggle to cope with the aftereffects of Iranian revolution while the latter coming to life on its own amidst the disturbing & troubled era of Iran.

Its timeline & setting play a vital role in establishing a sinister environment where evil can flourish, and Anvari takes ample time to familiarise the audience with the protagonist's predicament before letting the supernatural entity make its presence felt. And further amplifying its eerie vibe n tone is its fluid camera-work, tight editing & stellar use of sound.

Spearheading the acting department is Narges Rashidi in the role of the mother who's still reeling from the revolution's impact on her life, which only worsens when a series of inexplicable activities begin unfolding in her apartment. And supporting her all the way through is Avin Manshadi who is in as her daughter and both of them play their part convincingly.

On an overall scale, Under the Shadow is a confidently directed, deftly written & exquisitely paced chiller that's encapsulated with an ominous atmosphere and packs genuinely effective moments of suspense over the course of its 84 minutes runtime. Haunting, thought-provoking & brimming with the undercurrent of post-revolution effect on everyday life, this Persian horror is definitely worth your time & money.

"Under the Shadow" was such a wonderful surprise for me. I had already read some reviews and everybody was speechless about it. I didn't really expect something THAT good when I started watching it.

The film takes place in Iran somewhere in the 80's when the Iran-Iraq war was on. Shideh and Dorsa, a mother and a daughter, find themselves "abandoned and unprotected" after the father has to leave in order to give his services as a doctor in the war zone. This is when they start realizing that something evil haunts them in their apartment, and there is not much they can do to escape since it's dangerous to leave their home.

Many compare it to 2014's "Babadook". I can see why but at the same time I don't see so many relations to each other. The only thing that I know is that there were moments that I seriously considered turning the lights on for a while... Sometimes the graphics were not that great, definitely not disappointing but seriously, I didn't mind at all. Narges Rashidi's acting is a huge plus for the movie as long as the direction.

Scary, touching, simple though powerful, "Under the Shadow" is a pleasant surprise not only for the horror genre but for cinema in general.

If there is one thing horror movies do best, it's taking real life, psychological fears and making them as tangible as possible, forcing us to experience the dread that we prefer to push into the back of our minds, yet this is something often traded out for cheap shock in horror movies today. While "Under the Shadow" may miss a few beats in terms of its actual scares, it is an atmospheric and smart film that is about the real oppression that many people had to deal with and how it affects its main character.

It takes place in Iran during the 80s, a very divisive time in the country's history, when Iranians could be bombed by Iraq at any moment. Anyone who didn't follow their strict rules was horribly punished, and one could be discriminated against for their past political views, and the end of the war was nowhere in sight.

The film begins with Shideh attempting to finish her medical studies, but being turned down for her past political views. Her mother has just died, and she always dreamed that Shideh would be a doctor. Her husband, while loving, doesn't seem very supportive, and they get in an argument which details her past, showing that her husband has subtly oppressed her in the past. He leaves for work around a time that rumors begin to surface about Iraq bombings. He insists she take her daughter to his parents' house, and she denies, mostly as a way to prove that she can take care of her daughter.

However, after the first bombing, Shideh begins to lose control of her daughter, who starts to talk to supernatural beings brought on by the anxiety and fear caused by the attacks. Most people begin leaving, and soon she is left alone, desperately clinging to her daughter, but often failing.

The horror is said to be supernatural, but it is mostly brought upon by her fear that she is useless. She fears that since she can't be a doctor, she must be a good mother, but everything around her is telling her she is failing.

As far as the actual scares go, they are executed impressively for the most part. The shots are held just as long as they need to be held in order to build tension, and cuts are made at the right moments. There are a few jump scares that felt predictable (such as the first dream sequence, and moments towards the end), but most are built up perfectly and used just sparingly enough to truly be unaware of what would happen next. A few moments during the climax felt dragged out, as tends to happen with many horror films, good and bad. But what is most striking about this film is its atmosphere. It has a very dream-like atmosphere and some of the imagery is pretty hard to forget.