Under the Shadow

PG-13

Released Oct 7, 2016

1h 24m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

List

99%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

71%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

After Shideh's building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbor suggests that the missile was cursed and might be carrying malevolent Middle-Eastern spirits. She becomes convinced a supernatural force within the building is attempting to possess her daughter Dorsa, and she has no choice but to confront these forces if she is to save her daughter and herself.

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Critics Consensus

Under the Shadow deftly blends seemingly disparate genres to deliver an effective chiller with timely themes and thought-provoking social subtext.

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Elizabeth King

Bitch Media

Under the Shadow may not be as jump-and-scream frightening as The Babadook, but the mother-daughter narrative of surviving war shouldn't be missed.

Feb 17, 2021

Full Review

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Blue Lenses

Under the Shadow demands that we feel history as much as intellectually acknowledge it. Its important lessons cannot be taught through dates and names, but through something far more visceral, intoxicating and memorable.

Aug 25, 2018

Full Review

Angie Han

Slashfilm

The genius of Under the Shadow lies in the way it builds up the tension: slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, until I suddenly realized I was wound so tightly I wanted to scream.

Rated: 8/10

Jun 14, 2017

Full Review

Matt Patches

Polygon

Much like in The Babadook, first-time director Babak Anvari allows the question of the supernatural to orbit the action of Under the Shadow.

Oct 22, 2021

Full Review

Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

You've got to push through the first forty or so minutes of Under the Shadow to get to the good stuff, but when it comes it comes with jack-in-the-box fierceness and doesn't let up

Jul 14, 2021

Full Review

Emma Wolfe

SpookyAstronauts

It's just very raw, very real, but it's shot very beautifully, and the acting is superb.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 28, 2021

Full Review

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Leaburn O

Another highly regarded horror film that wasn’t particularly scary. It was well acted, particularly by the little girl and was slightly atmospheric but it again felt long even for the short runtime because the Shem scary moments weren’t worth the tedious buildup. Watched on DVD.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/26/24

Full Review

Prabudhjeet A

I watched this film in a Film Festival. The actors actually did fell very real. This felt like a documentary when it comes to acting. This movie is one of the perfect examples of how commercial and art cinema can mix up. The main character is haunted by jinn, saving herself and her little kid from life and death situation but the main concern of the system is she's not wearing hijab.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

Full Review

Emilliano Jr S

Its more of war horror than the actual Djinn.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/24/24

Full Review

Luis M. D

The cinematography and the all-Iranian (or of Iranian descent) cast is commendable, but as a supernatural thriller it does not fully delivers.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/24

Full Review

John D

The story was pretty simple and a bit melodramatic, which means doom for being a horror movie. The cultural background is consistent but that makes the protagonist and her daughter unlikable. The ending was a tight squeeze.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

Joaquin R

Valla pedazo de mierda de película me he comido por hacer cazo a esta página

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/15/23

Full Review

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Babak Anvari

Director

Narges Rashidi

Shideh

Avin Manshadi

Dorsa

Bobby Naderi

Iraj

Ray Haratian

Mr. Ebrahimi

Arash Marandi

Dr. Reza

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Synopsis

After Shideh's building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbor suggests that the missile was cursed and might be carrying malevolent Middle-Eastern spirits. She becomes convinced a supernatural force within the building is attempting to possess her daughter Dorsa, and she has no choice but to confront these forces if she is to save her daughter and herself.

Director: Babak Anvari
Producer: Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh
Screenwriter: Babak Anvari
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment, XYZ Films
Production Co: Wigwam Films
Rating: PG-13 (Terror|Scary Images|Brief Language)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 7, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.8K
Runtime: 1h 24m

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