“You’ll witness the invisible hand of God at work.”

This quote, stated by Saeed, is featured in Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi’s most recent film, “Holy Spider,” which competed at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where Zar Amir Ebrahimi won the Best Actress award. Based on actual events surrounding Iranian serial killer, Saeed Hanaei, known as the Spider Killer, “Holy Spider” follows Arezoo Rahimi, a journalist who has traveled to Mashhad, an Iranian holy city, to investigate a recent string of killings, with these murders targeting sex workers. She is paired up with Sharifi (played by Arash Ashtiani), the editor-in-chief of a local newspaper, to investigate these crimes.

In her portrayal of Rahimi, Zar Amir Ebrahimi delivers a truly stellar performance as a determined journalist. Some highlights of her performance include a scene where she asks Soghra (played by Ariane Naziri), a local sex worker, questions about the Spider Killer at a restaurant. Another great example is a scene where she criticizes Sharifi’s comments about why she was fired from her previous job at a different newspaper. Ebrahimi’s very subtle and naturalistic portrayal of this character is a performance that deserved the Best Actress award.

Rahimi has to navigate through the patriarchal and oppressive culture that is embedded within this city. This includes Rostami (played by Sina Parvaneh), a sleazy and demeaning police chief. An uncomfortable sequence happens in Rahimi’s hotel room involving him in the film’s second act.

Mehdi Bajestani gives an excellent performance as Saeed, the deranged and misogynistic murderer who is targeting sex workers, all in the name of Imam Reza. Bajestani’s portrayal of this vile figure is terrifying, especially with his lack of empathy.

Photo of a “Holy Spider” movie poster. (Contributed/IMDb)

In terms of the film’s direction, Ali Abbasi has crafted an uncomfortable viewing that serves as a social commentary on misogyny and fundamentalism, with scenes in the third act featuring a plethora of people defending and supporting Saeed’s despicable actions, such as protestors and even his son, Ali Hanaei. He perfectly directs a tense chase scene during the film’s second act in which Sharifi is following Saeed, who is on his motorbike with Rahimi (who is undercover as a sex worker). Abbasi also does something quite interesting with this film, including scenes that focus on Saeed’s family life and how it heads towards a downward spiral due to his constant killing, demonstrated by a scene at a park in the film’s second act. The screenplay that he co-wrote with Afshin Kamran Bahrami is also quite good.

Nadim Carlsen, the film’s cinematographer, captures several great shots. There is a wide tracking shot of Saeed on his motorbike at night in the opening sequence and an excellent low-angle shot of Saeed’s arm reaching out from his prison cell window to feel the rain, along with stark imagery during the murder sequences, which complements the film’s dark subject matter.

With “Holy Spider,” Ali Abbasi examines themes of misogyny and religious fundamentalism under the guise of a crime thriller that is, at times, disturbing and uncomfortable to watch — yet it is a truly great film. With an excellent leading performance from Zar Amir Ebrahimi, disturbing sequences and a downright infuriating ending, “Holy Spider” is a film that tackles the sensitive subject matter with sheer brutality — resulting in an unforgettable viewing.

“Holy Spider” is available to purchase on Blu-ray and is also currently streaming on Netflix.

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