Review of Under the Shadow (2016) by Matt C — 21 May 2016

Following on the heels of The Babadook, and to a lesser extent The Witch, Under the Shadow is another entry in the recent trend of highbrow indie horror. It's the type where the slow-burning tension completely flies in the face of jump scares and loud noises.

I wasn't entirely aware of what I was getting into when I went to see it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found that this movie is thoughtful allegory about a oppressed woman in 1980s Iran, brought to realization with its performances, lighting, pacing, and soundscape.

As mentioned, the movie takes place in the '80s Tehran, placing itself and its characters in the aftermath of the revolution. Shideh is a mother and aspiring doctor who, after being shut out from further progress in medical school due to her gender, resorts back to her domestic life, taking care of her toddler daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi).

Her husband Iraj (Bobby Naderi) is drafted into war, leaving Shideh and Dorsa to themselves with a threat of possible attack looming over them, all while they find themselves to be haunted by a jinn. What the movie really is about, though, is what a patriarchal society does to a woman.

Again, similar to The Babadook, this is a film where the threats work on multiple levels. The gradual increase in danger throughout the film uses its sound design, ambient score, and the strengths of both of its leads to immerse the viewer into the quiet nature of their life--quiet on the verge of going awry.

It's an interesting progression. When Shideh's ambitions are blocked, her stubbornness begins to rear its head in a negative fashion. As her husband leaves, she's left to have not much of nothing.

And when the antagonist starts become clearly visible, it is--in a way--what she fears being forced to become. The film's use of horror to convey this commentary is successful not just in aesthetics, but in its punch; while it's slow, its third act is quite heart-pounding.

It's also a movie that knows when to inject comic relief at the right times, but never undermining its drama as a result. The only problems with Under the Shadow stem from its pacing, which, while largely effective in the grand scheme of things, makes for some slow moments towards the middle.

It doesn't teeter into boring territory, but a sense of unjust repetition does start to become noticeable in some scenes. It isn't the nature of what's being shown that's the issue; it's that what's being shown has more or less already been shown before.

What makes this stick out a bit more is that this movie is short at only 84 minutes, so this shouldn't be a problem. Still, I got chills at several moments and Rashidi's performance is never less than engaging to watch.

If you're looking for something that doesn't fall victim to the excess--either in terms of violence or loud noises--of most modern horror movies, then Under the Shadow is a thought-provoking entry to the highbrow horror revitalization canon as of late.

If you want to watch it for surface value, that's fine, but it's what the movie has to say that makes it worth while, and the understated aspect of its message is another positive. 8/10, really good, one thumb up, above average, etc.