‘Under the Shadow’ Is the Slow Burn Horror Film from Iran You Can Stream on Netflix – GQ Magazine

Perfect for fans of The Babadook.

Silent children. Creepy dolls. Blurry figures running through rooms. Arms beneath the bed. Some things are scary wherever you are. But putting classic horror elements in a new setting can enliven the genre, which is the case with Under the Shadow, a fantastic horror movie about a djinn haunting a mother and daughter in war-torn Iran.

The debut film from Iranian-born Baback Anvaria co-production between the UK, Jordan, and Qatartakes place during the War of the Cities portion of the Iran-Iraq war, when the major cities of each country were bombed, and just a few years after the Iranian Cultural Revolution covered the country in conservative religious rule. Even before the djinn arrives, the young mother Shideh is haunted by her past and tormented by her culture. When the film opens, she is trying to re-enroll in school to realize her dream of becoming a doctor, but the male administrator dismisses her based on her involvement in leftist groups before the cultural revolution. Her husband is less than understanding, suggesting it is for the best before he is deployed to the fighting, leaving Sideh home alone with their young daughter Dorsa.

The first half of the film is mostly free of the supernatural, but effectively and steadily ratchets up the dread and oppressive atmosphere. Shideh and Dorsas neighbors are nosy and superstitious. Air raids happen regularly. Shideh sleepwalks and struggles with raising Dorsa, being constantly told she isnt a fit mother. (There are echoes of the The Babadook throughout.) Shidehs one source of relief is a Jane Fonda workout tapes that she illegally plays on a secret VCR when the curtains are drawn. Suspicion is in the air, as are bombsone of which falls right into their apartment building.

The first half of Under the Shadow is an effective character-driven film, and to this Americans eyes a fascinating look at the kind of everyday Muslim lives that we rarely see in our own media. The bomb that crashes into their buildingbut doesnt explodebrought something else with it. A djinn, whose hauntings lead to a supernatural second half and a terrifying final act. As the air raids increase, Shideh and Dorsas neighbors leave one by one. Shideh insists on staying, first out of stubbornness but then because Dorsa becomes ill after her favorite doll gets djinn-nabbed. The building empties out. They are alone. Well, except for the dark figures that appear in corners or zipping through doors.

Under the Shadow has very little in the way of special effects, yet it is all the more remarkable for its ability terrify with everyday objects. It saves its budget for the final act when the characters are trapped in the nightmarish pull of the djinn. The film stays firmly grounded in its cultural contextwhen Shideh flees the djinn without her hijab she is berated by the police and almost whipped: A woman should be scared of exposing herself more than anything elsewhile exploring universal fears. A great and haunting thriller to watch on Netflix the next time you need a scare.

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'Under the Shadow' Is the Slow Burn Horror Film from Iran You Can Stream on Netflix - GQ Magazine

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero