Under the Shadow (2016)

the audience applauded

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Set in Teheran during the Iraqi raids of the Eighties, Babak Anvari's debut is an effective supernatural horror film. Premise is simple: a mother and a daughter are trapped in a house haunted by malevolent ghostly entities. The film creates an ominous atmosphere with a good use of sound (and silence) and some creepy jump scares. It's never groundbreaking or exceptional, but it's definitely competent.The unusual setting is interesting and well-integrated into the plot. The ongoing conflict justifies the usual objection to the haunted house scenario ("why don't they just leave?") and provides further elements of tension and social commentary; for example, there is an unsettling scene where the mother rushes outside seeking help and law enforcements threaten her for not wearing veils. This elevates the movie above more conventional stuff like The Innkeepers or the American remake of The Grudge.6,5/10

This film, having some merits, such as the good interpretations of the female duo protagonist and the environment, which is shown in the film in a credible way, lived by them in war scenario and in a country of Islamic religion. However, when the film "plunges" into its supernatural tone, it is no more than the mediocre, with the scenes of "terror" bringing nothing new or original, are scenes already seen in dozens of other films of the genre. In addition, the film copies the main ideas of the movie "the babadook", that yes, a very original and good quality film. Note: 6.5/10

Film critic Mark Kermode said that this British made Persian language (you can also watch it dubbed into English) movie was his favourite film of 2016, and I heard many other very positive reviews and recommendations for it, so I was looking forward to it. Basically set in the 1980s, during the war between the Islamic post-revolutionary Iran and Iraq, former medical student Shideh (Narges Rashidi) cannot resume her studies because of her involvement with student leftist groups. Returning home, Shideh gets rid of most of her old medical textbooks, apart from a book of medical physiology given to her by her deceased mother. War is intensifying, Shideh's husband Iraj (Bobby Naderi), a doctor called by the military and assigned to an area of heavy fighting, insists she should take her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) with her to stay with her parents and be safe, but Shideh refuses to leave, Dorsa is upset to see her father leave, Iraj promises her that her favourite doll Kimia will protect her. A new boy moves in with his cousins, the Ebrahimi family, his parents were killed in an attack, during a shelling he whispers something to Dorsa and gives her a charm, she tells her mother the boy warned her of an evil spirit called a Djinn, and that the charm will protect her. Shideh throws the charm away visits Mrs. Ebrahimi, who informs her that the boy has been mute ever since the death of his parents, soon Dorsa gets a fever and has a number of nightmares, Shideh is also haunted by bad dreams. During another shelling, a missile strikes their building, an upstairs neighbour dies of a heart attack, Kimia goes missing in the commotion, Dorsa's behaviour becomes increasingly disturbed and erratic, she insists someone took Kimia, that there is a strange presence, and that Kimia is somewhere on the upper floor. The neighbours gradually leave to get away from the fighting, Mrs. Ebrahami (Aram Ghasemy) warns Shideh about djinns, explaining their ability to possess humans and that they steal beloved personal items from their victims, then the Ebrahamis leave as well, leaving Shideh and Dorsa as the only two inhabitants left in the building. Shideh's nightmares get worse, and she finds her personal items are disappearing, one of her scary visions is of a floating chador moving like a ghost, Dorsa admits seeing the same visions, but she claims that the ghost wants to help her find Kimia. Shideh finally wants to leave to go to the house of husband's parents, but Dorsa refuses to leave until Kimia is found, after receiving a strange phone call, Shideh does find Kimia, but the doll is mutilated, this upsets Dorsa. Shideh promises Dorsa that they will escape, but the Dorsa she goes down to the shelter with is an apparition, she goes back to the house and rescues the real Dorsa, before they are stopped and attacked by the chador apparition. Shideh urges Dorsa to get out, the floor begins to suck her down, but Dorsa rescues her and the two get away to the car, they drive away to Iraj's parents, but it is revealed that Kimia's detached head was left behind and Shideh's medical textbook is still in the djinn's possession, this implies they may harassed again. Also starring Arash Marandi as Dr. Reza, Behi Djanati Atai as Pargol, Hamid Djavadan as Mr. Fakur and Soussan Farrokhnia as Mrs. Fakur. Rashadi's performance is empathetic and powerful, there are a few scenes where you probably see something, but most of the terror comes from the claustrophobia, the wartime setting, dramatic sounds and your mind playing tricks on you, it is an interesting alternative to a haunted house movie, a creepy and well made psychological horror. It won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for Babak Anvari, and it was nominated for Outstanding British Film of the Year. Very good!

I have to admit it: I didn't expect too much from an Iranian horror movie that I should watch with English subtitles.But I was wrong! This great horror movie is the tangible proof that the making of a really scary movie doesn't need massive budget, rivers of blood or huge special effect. The 80's setting was completely reconstructed ( the fitness work out has been a jump in time!), the actors really realistic, the atmosphere is distressing,dark,tense and full of bad omen.I jumped on my sofa 2 or 3 times and I had continuous goose bumps....I even forgot that Iwas watching a movie with subtitles. "Chapeau" to the art director and to his team .