Under the Shadow (2016)
Eighth review is for a film that takes place in post-revolution, war-torn Tehran in the 1980s, Under the Shadow. Has culture, history, multiple levels of terror, and ominous, sinister haunting figures. Includes #spoilers :
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Under the Shadow (2016) Pros: I loved the unfolding of history, the way the lore and the story built with every conversation. There were no interactions that did not reflect on the story, no wasted dialogue. Cinematorgraphy and effects were dope. The misdirection in the end when she kicked her baby in the face was so slick! I bet she been wanting to do that since the Jane Fonda tape.
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Cons: Halfway through I was like “Am I gonna like this bratty baby? Her obsession with the doll is cute because she loves her father, but will she ease on up?” And by the end I needed the girl to learn some kind of lesson but ain’t happen. Also was waiting for the moment when her momma would say “Well if you didn’t rip up my Fonda tape, and I didn’t murder your doll, then we got a problem.” The curtain scene at the end went maaaaad long and I just wanted them to get up out of there. The end wasn’t a resolution because part of the doll is left behind AND shorties medical book, so they are still marked wherever they go. I’ve said before sequels are never promised, so we just gotta imagine that they battle with the Djinn again.
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I give it a 7, a better written child and an ending that feels like letting out a relieved sigh versus a tense one would have given it 10 for me, and that’s all I would change to bump it up, but the daughter’s stress over the doll made up most of the tension and half of the screen time.
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