Wow, what a hard-hitting and sensitive film. And so different from what I usually watch. I realize far too rarely that I’ve mainly watched Western films (primarily American, of course) throughout my life, and only in recent years have I consciously decided to explore movies from around the world. It’s just so incredibly beautiful to see how drastically films, content, atmospheres, and actors can differ. Holy Spider isn’t a typical thriller like I expected, and I really liked that. Instead of building suspense through uncertainty, the focus here is on the human and societal aspects. The film’s grounded, almost documentary-like approach gives it a rawness that’s both unsettling and captivating. What starts as a crime story evolves into a case study on the injustice of religion and the state. I never could have predicted the way the film unfolds. That said, I must admit I’m completely in the dark when it comes to life in other countries. The film portrays the oppressive environment with such intensity that I found myself reflecting on the privileges and freedoms I often take for granted. I’m one of the privileged few who can simply watch something like this and then write a review about it on Letterboxd while sitting at work, sipping a warm coffee. That makes me feel like I’m not really in a position to say much, so I can only comment on the film itself, not necessarily on what it’s trying to express. As for Holy Spider itself, I found it very interesting and good, but I’m not used to this style of storytelling. As a result, I felt a bit lost at times and couldn’t fully grasp what was going on. Despite this, the film’s atmospheric tension and the raw performances of the cast left a strong impression on me. The lead actors in particular delivered emotionally charged and convincing portrayals that carried the weight of the film’s themes. I’m sure I missed certain issues and themes here and there. Nevertheless, the film had its impact on me, and in some ways, I was able to empathize. But to truly grasp the bigger picture, I’m definitely lacking the necessary background knowledge. I imagine you could write pages and pages about this film. All in all, it’s a heavy topic with hard-hitting moments in a human environment that feels incredibly threatening. The way Holy Spider exposes systemic failures and societal hypocrisy is both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling, making it a film that lingers long after the credits roll.

Holy Spider is a great film, but not a spectacular one as I expected after reading many positive reviews praising it. The production, directing, acting and soundtrack were all good, but the movie is unnecessarily long. Many scenes could have been made shorter or simply deleted from the final cut. On the other hand, the message of how religion can sometimes serve as an excuse for people to commit heinous crimes and still have popular support based on a false sense of morality was perfectly delivered.

Script 2.5 Acting 1.5 Cinematography 1.5 Enjoy 0.7 6.2/10. Femin1st, this Is a true patriarchy.

Despite some predictability in the plot, I still found the film highly enjoyable. What truly captivated me was the director's use of rawness to portray the stories of the women and their struggles in a cruel, patriarchal world lacking in humanity and empathy. If I had to sum up the film in one word, "raw" would be my choice.

Quite fascinating in its telling as this is as much a study of prejudice as it is a serial killer thriller. It's very disturbing in parts so certainly not for the squeamish.