Horror films have long been criticised for their portrayal of violent crime, but films depicting serial killers—especially actual ones—deserve special consideration. These peculiar criminals are prominently depicted in fiction and the popular imagination. Sometimes they serve only as formidable, fascinating villains, on par with any other horror monster. The best serial killer tales, on the other hand, are more probing; they ask questions about the institutional shortcomings that give rise to and facilitate them, the social factors that demonise them at the expense of their victims, and the obsession that compels those who are hunting them.

It is important to go into detail when describing the opening because it is essential to understanding Abbasi's project. One night, Somayeh (Alice Rahimi), who has bruises all over her bare body, dresses her child and departs with the assurance that she will return the next morning. She is a prostitute in Mashhad, a sacred city in Iran. She appears a little run down, which is quickly explained by opium addiction. The camera follows her as she picks up a couple johns who treat her callously and one of whom even underpays her. Then a man, whose face is kept hidden, hires her.

It should be painful to watch this scene. All subsequent killings receive the effect that comes from empathy thanks to this woman, her difficult existence, and her brutal murder. The infamous "Spider Killer" is merely a villainous, faceless presence in the scene, but he will never again be so elusive. He is Saeed Hanaei (Mehdi Bajestani), Mashhad's self-appointed purifier of "impure" ladies and a builder, family guy, and veteran of the Iran-Iraq War. Although anyone who would criticise Holy Spider as being unduly fascinated with its serial killer would be too quick to reject this opening, he becomes quite real as the spectator spends the first half of the film with him.

A non-violent scene becomes Holy Spider's most unsettling due to the harm that results from severely policing women's behaviour, which affects both men and women. It is a remarkable piece of filmmaking that will evoke strong emotions in its viewers, most likely fueled by Rahimi's infectious wrath; therefore, it is not surprising that Ebrahimi won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film festival when the movie debuted. The movie by Abbasi is not an easy watch, but it is a strong entry in this genre that succeeds by taking chances that lesser films may have botched.

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movie review

G GOWTHAM

19/02/2023 12:36 PM