Overview
A mother battles supernatural forces while trying to protect her daughter during wartime chaos.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- oppressive
- claustrophobic
- late night horror viewing
- arthouse horror night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's effective genre blend, sustained tension, cultural specificity, and politically resonant social subtext.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The djinn's threat unfolds alongside missile attacks and the pervasive fear of the Iran-Iraq War.
Shideh is barred from university, pressured by family expectations, and left to protect Dorsa under supernatural attack.
The apartment shifts from shelter during wartime bombing to the primary site of the djinn's escalating menace.
Dorsa's stories and Shideh's research introduce djinn beliefs as a central source of fear.
Films like Under the Shadow, and why
The Babadook
shares a psychologically intimate supernatural horror structure, maternal fear, and emotionally grounded family conflict
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
shares Iranian cultural context, atmospheric horror, feminist perspective, and a distinctive supernatural presence
The Others
shares domestic supernatural siege, child endangerment, and escalating dread within an oppressive home environment
Movie Details
- Director
- Babak Anvari
- Release Date
- 2016-09-30
- Runtime
- 84 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (753)
Cast
- Narges Rashidi
- Avin Manshadi
- Bobby Naderi
- Ray Haratian
- Hamid Djavadan
- Bijan Daneshmand
- Behi Djanati Atai
- Aram Ghasemy
- Soussan Farrokhnia
- Arash Marandi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Under the Shadow about?
- During wartime Tehran, a determined mother battles a djinn while defending her daughter and resisting the forces that seek to confine her.
- What is Under the Shadow like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Under the Shadow as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Under the Shadow violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Under the Shadow as mild.
- What did critics think of Under the Shadow?
- Critics broadly praised the film's effective genre blend, sustained tension, cultural specificity, and politically resonant social subtext.
- Which films are like Under the Shadow?
- Films with a similar feel include The Babadook, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and The Others.
- How long is Under the Shadow?
- Under the Shadow runs 84 minutes.
- Where can I watch Under the Shadow?
- In United States, Under the Shadow streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
