X
- 2016
- PG-13
- XYZ Films
- 1 h 24 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- XYZ Films
- 1 h 24 m
Summary Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family live amid the chaos of the Iran-Iraq war, a period known as The War of the Cities. Accused of subversion by the post-Revolution government and blacklisted from medical college, she falls into a state of malaise. With Tehran under the constant threat of aerial bombardment, her husband (Bobby Naderi) ...
Directed By: Babak Anvari
Written By: Babak Anvari
- 2016
- PG-13
- XYZ Films
- 1 h 24 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- XYZ Films
- 1 h 24 m
Under the Shadow
7.5
Where to Watch
Summary Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family live amid the chaos of the Iran-Iraq war, a period known as The War of the Cities. Accused of subversion by the post-Revolution government and blacklisted from medical college, she falls into a state of malaise. With Tehran under the constant threat of aerial bombardment, her husband (Bobby Naderi) ...
Directed By: Babak Anvari
Written By: Babak Anvari
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
83
100% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
83
100% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
With this terrific feature debut, Anvari lifts the veil on his heroines’ hidden lives and leaves us all dreaming with our eyes wide open.
Under the Shadow is not only perfectly paced, the storytelling and plotting is emotionally gripping. The director also uses setting and location, composition and framing like a master of horror.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 98 User Ratings
7.5
77% Positive
75 Ratings
75 Ratings
18% Mixed
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
5% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 98 User Ratings
7.5
77% Positive
75 Ratings
75 Ratings
18% Mixed
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
5% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
Under the Shadow is a chilling film about the horrors of war, the suppression of women under the guise of religion, superstition, and the supernatural. Although occasionally incoherent, the skill of the actors, the director, and the entire film crew is first-rate and comes through. The film works as supernatural horror at the same time as you feel the chaos and fear in everyday life during the Iran-Iraq War as experienced by people like the rest of us and not by presidents and kings. But this is not a political film. It is about human beings caught in a terrible situation where the horrors are many and complex and completely irrational – a wonderful combination of real and imagined horror.
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Anvari deftly builds and sustains tension throughout, crafting a horror movie that respects genre conventions...while firmly establishing its own distinctive identity.
Under the Shadow is a tragedy as much as it is a horror film, and the heartbreak lingers long after the fears have been shaken off.
Anvari is making a stifling period drama, a horror movie of a different sort that tangibly conveys the claustrophobia of Iran during its tumultuous post-revolution period.
There’s still something exciting about seeing familiar tropes placed in an unfamiliar context — in this case, a nation ravaged by violent conflict and stifled by fundamentalist law.
Make no mistake: This is a horror film right to its core, although the nightmare comes both from without (the war, the state decrees regarding how Shideh must dress in public, even when fleeing incoming missiles) and within (the unknown but entirely evil Middle Eastern djinn).
I like a movie with historical context, did not know Iran-Iraq were in war from 1980-1988, after Sharia government takeover in 1979. It is interesting this movie was made by Qatar, Jordan and the UK, not Iran. By the way, the bomb should have been the movie and not just a throw away scene, a movie like that from her perspective would have been amazing. I wanted to rate this higher but the jump scares were too generic.
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I'm not sure, probably I have missed something in this movie. The idea was clear, no hidden thoughts and actually I didn't felt like there were some surprises either. This movie really reminded me of Babadook the movie which I really love and it was mostly likely the reason why I didn't love this movie because it is too similar somehow. But still this is likeable movie and if I would have watched this before Babadook I'm sure I would have loved it more.
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You could only like this if you’ve seen every other horror movie ever made and need something else to watch – or if you’re an apologist for underrepresented world cinema. But this is not scary. Not engaging. Great setting and atmosphere. But just a lot of the main character yelling her daughter’s name for 90 minutes.
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Awards
British Independent Film Awards
• 3 Wins & 6 Nominations
BloodGuts UK Horror Awards
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Athens International Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
