For those who enjoy a good scare, Netflix has the perfect film to fill your evening. Touted as a future horror classic, Under The Shadow is a hidden gem that’s definitely worth a watch.
This unique take on the horror genre is set in 1980s post-revolutionary Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war, and follows medical student Shideh who is barred from studying, and her daughter Dorsa, after her husband is drafted into military service. Most of the film unfolds within their apartment as bombs rain down around them.
A superstitious neighbour insists the bombs are cursed and harbour tortured spirits. Soon, she becomes convinced a supernatural force is possessing her daughter as they grapple with both natural and supernatural forces.
Viewers can still anticipate the traditional frights of a horror film, with shattering windows or even the pop of a toaster sure to make you jump and leave you on edge for a tense hour and a half.
Under The Shadow marks the directorial debut of British-Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari and paved the way for his 2019 release Wounds starring Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson, and I Came By featuring George MacKay and Hugh Bonneville.
Under the Shadow has been a hit with critics, earning a ‘certified fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive score of 99%. The Observer’s film critic Mark Kermode gave it five stars, stating: “With this terrific feature debut, Anvari lifts the veil on his heroines’ hidden lives and leaves us all dreaming with our eyes wide open.”
The Persian language film was even chosen as the British entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, although some audience reviews are slightly more sceptical.
One viewer gave the film three stars on Google Reviews, writing: “Under the Shadow is a unique blend of horror and historical context. While it had its moments of brilliance, I can’t help but feel that it didn’t fully live up to its potential.”
However, another review disagreed, awarding it five stars and commenting: “Wow. Just amazing. A perfect example of a well-written, directed movie. The acting, VFX, sound design and production design etc are worth mentioning. Watch it on a cold dark night, when you are alone, this gave me a real chill.
“The brilliance is that, for a normal audience, it’s a scary, horror movie, but, for those who search beyond, there are metaphors and beyond just a horror movie.”