I am still sort of torn between going back to cover a lot of the stuff I glossed over down the stretch in 2022 and diving into the stuff that I have seen more recently to kick off 2023, especially as I need to put together my Best of ’22 chart for what will be the 6th the Annual Sheist Film Awards. I am going to split the difference on this one because it technically went into limited release in August of ’22 (when I initially previewed it for my weekly Release Radar) but then went back to the festival circuit before getting its wide release in January of ’23.
Holy Spider is a dark, intense thriller that wields its storytelling and subject matter with tremendous force and builds its tension at an exacting pace. It is also incredibly well-acted and legitimately terrifying at moments, but the disturbing nature of the true story is a lot to deal with. It was likely too much for some, which is probably why it didn’t get the Academy nod for Best International Feature, but that’s a real shame because it’s excellent.
A female journalist arrives in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran to investigate the murders of a number of sex workers. Her presence, as a woman and a non-police investigator, is unwelcome in the city and leaves her to delve into the city’s darkest corners without much help, putting her own life in danger in pursuit of the “Spider Killer”.
Writer/Director Ali Abbasi (Border) has an incredible eye and an excellent knack for storytelling but, beyond that, he shows a great understanding of tone. This is based on the true story and the Iranian serial killer Saeed Hanaei who killed 16 women from 2000-2001 and the screenplay he wrote along with Ahsin Kamran Bahrami and story supervisor Jonas Wagner understands the gravity of that.
This script excels at contextualizing the religious zealotry behind the killings and the cultural significance of the situation, but it also doesn’t let you look away from the shadows. As the screenplay expands on the investigative side of its story, we are inching our way toward the abyss and I mean that as a compliment. This is a fierce thriller but one of the things that stands out most about this film is how it wades into the waters of horror so seamlessly. You are never firmly planted there but its terror is cerebral, visceral, and ultimately haunting. It may not hit some of the most familiar horror benchmarks, but it’s effectively terrifying when it wants to be. And it definitely wants to be.
A prime example of that intent is Martin Dirkov’s intensely dark original music. It’s powerful and never, for a moment, lets you misunderstand the severity of the situation. That tone is set right at the outset and never relinquishes its grasp on you. It was one of the most effective scores I heard from ’22 and it’s a bit unnerving as I sit here listening to it again while I write. Nadim Carlsen’s cinematography is on point with the tone as well, and he did a great job of making you feel the weight of the shadows on the screen and the claustrophobic nature of certain moments.
One of the other most impressive things about this film is, for the most part, it boiled down to just a handful of performances. Zar Amir-Ebrahimi was amazing and she rides her character arc to a tee. She shows up in Mashhad with purpose and confidence but her foundation is constantly tested. It also speaks to the character writing that she isn’t willing to give up in the face of adversity, even from the police. That is where Amir-Ebrahimi really thrives. her eyes are very emotive and you can see her dealing with all of that tumult internally. Body language flies under the radar sometimes but she is great at it and delivered one of the best performances I saw in ’22.
Her primary counterpart, although they don’t share much screen time as direct adversaries, is played by Mehdi Bajestani. He doesn’t even have a headshot on IMDB and this was only the second film credit he has listed, but his portrayal of Saeed was astonishing. His demeanor and screen presence is enormous and that’s part of the character’s imposing nature as well. He views himself as a bit of a loser, but he’s big, strong, and former military which makes him incredibly dangerous. There are some alarming depictions of violence against women and he dominates those moments. If there was recognition for best movie villains, his combination of brutality and publicly endorsed arrogance would rank right near the top.
There are a pair of really strong supporting performances from Forouzan Jamshidnejad and Arash Ashtiani as well, both on opposite ends of the conflict. I don’t know that I can contextualize without giving away some important info, but I’ll just say that they both have specific relevance to the other characters and the culture of Mashhad.
This movie is not for the faint of heart. It is a hard pill to swallow because of the aforementioned violence, but also because it exposes the cultural misogyny that allowed these killings to continue for so long. I want to say more, but I think it’s better to just see the rest for yourself.
Recommendation: Not for the faint of heart but, if you aren’t afraid of the dark, this is an excellent film that tackles some important things.
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