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Under the Shadow

Play trailer Poster for Under the Shadow PG-13 Released Oct 7, 2016 1h 24m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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99% Tomatometer 92 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 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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Under the Shadow

Under the Shadow

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Denis R Great reviews on line but I found it lacking foundation for the “scary stuff” which wasn’t scary in the least. Acting was fair but the mother was mad at everything and completely unlikeable, the daughter not much better. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review Nobu M ......like who risks their lives just for a doll???? She would've made another doll coz you can see that doll is knitteble. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review James P Amazing movie 🍿 Great acting..SPINE CHILLING HORROR BRILLIANT JUST AWESOME! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Under the Shadow

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Movie Info

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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