Review of Under the Shadow (2016) by David F — 11 Jan 2017

As Iranians, we often find ourselves lumped into the mold of either Middle East or asia, neither of which fits us accurately. Naturally we are thirsty for cultural attention to our mythology which is uniquely both Iranian AND Muslim.

The director had more than enough lore to work with to build the story, however the most basic component of a good horror movie, the mythology, is so flimsy, it doesn't take any strong winds for it to collapse.

An uninformed, western audience is given literally two lines from the book to figure out and adjust to what it is that is supposed to be scaring them. Once you get over the weak foundation, then you're faced with the ancient plauge of "stubborn child".

Dorsa's character, in my iranian household, would have received a good beating every single day for putting her family at risk and not obeying her mother while her father is away. The worst part of it all, is that this movie hides it's flaws behind are feminist mask.

I am fine with feminism and separation of mosque and state and human rights messages, as long as they are really not used as a vehicle to deliver what is simply not there. An average western audience will be drawn in by the exotic new language they haven't heard before unless it's shouting death to america and gets excited by the new found knowledge of the modern world's longest war, which they knew nothing about, but as an Iranian, living in the west, desperately clinging on to every drop of cultural nod, I was disappointed.