Judgement by Default
by Marinell Haegelin

The world didn’t go mad yesterday, last year or even last decade; it’s been a long time in the making. Two feature films posit taut, tightly coiled nerve-racking scenarios made more nefarious because it’s true. ARGENTINIA, 1985 relates the David-cum-Goliath-eques challenge Argentina faced, tenuously holding onto democracy following the overthrow of the junta led government, while HOLY SPIDER takes a bite out of zealots’ self-proclaimed right to cleanse society, even when faced with judicially fair prudence. Each psychological thriller microscopically teases at the effect of pervasive political babble, and sanctimoniousness.

Director Santiago Mitre’s taut, nail-biting historical thriller, co-written with Mariano Llinás, demonstrates how moral courage can make a difference. The new civilian government decides to hold the military junta accountable when its lead judge (Carlos Portaluppi) insists those charged get a fair trial. Accountability went by the wayside under the junta’s 25 years ruling Argentina; under 14 dictators antidemocracy, corruption, greed, and civilians’ unaccountable disappearances and/or deaths prevailed.

The respected, unassuming Julio Strassera’s (Ricardo Darín) appointed lead prosecutor with Luis Moreno Ocampo (Peter Lanzani), an untried courtroom attorney as assistant, have five short months to prepare. Luis makes up for prosecutorial shortcomings with an astutely clever “Trojan Horse” gameplan. Recognizing the odds against getting testimony against the nine high-ranking junta leaders, they recruit a young team. Fearless and deaf to fearmongering with the vigorous energy and creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems, that team works nonstop. As their pamphlets shower cities and towns, they span across the country talking to citizens, i.e., witnesses where excessive cruelty was rife. A fair trial, they know, requires indisputable, tangible proof. Julio’s wife (Alejandra Flechner) is unequivocally behind him as are children Verónica (Gina Mastronicola) and Javier (Santiago Armas Estevarena) even as threats and shenanigans increase. During the investigative stage people involved are threatened and worse. Julio’s retired-warrior friend Ruso (Norman Briski) advises “be very careful.” For justice to prevail risks must be taken: “This is our opportunity. It might be our last one.”

Brilliantly cast with praiseworthy production values, ARGENTINIA, 1985’s finger-snapping timing, focus and Pedro Osuna’s music matched to onscreen proceedings are in lockstep. Immersed and committed, 140 minutes fly by as audiences sit transfixed. Argentina’s bloodiest immoral dictatorship buckles under victims’ unprecedented courtroom testimonies, ethical certainty, and courageousness. “Never again.”

HOLY SPIDER begins with a gentle kiss and a promise, “I’ll be back before you wake,” introducing the young nocturnal streetworker in search of customers and cure-all hashish. Before the break of day that promise is broken. Ali Abbasi’s double-whammy thriller’s about societal aberrations. Time and again the nightrider’s motor scooter lures prey into his web; later, tightly cloaked bodies are dumped. A passing car’s headlights highlight the killer’s unique ring. In Iran’s second-largest religious mecca city, Mashhad, the hard-working family man Saeed (Mehdi Bajestani) finds stability through prayer. As more women disappear Iranian media frenzy increases; the killer’s monikered “Spider Killer.” Upon arriving from Tehran Sharifi (Arash Ashtiani) reminds Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) not wearing her headscarf’s an effrontery to morality police.

Spider Killer loses control; the body count mounts. Ironically, the victims’ lifestyles, and political mindset precludes police overly investigating. Rahimi takes more risks, Sharifi tries to keep up; the journalists realize the web’s complexity and the stakes are high. The tightly spun misogynous culture mistakenly protects the caught Spider. Inconceivably, his family and friends rally round. Shockingly, the ultraconservative court lackadaisically considers the prisoner’s declaration of blamelessness, of Mohamed’s approval. Rahimi and Sharifi, and the murdered women’s families tirelessly continue investigating. Nevertheless, the hardliner’s pro-morality stance seems indomitable.

A student during the Saeed Hanae’s murder spree in 2000-01, director/cowriter Abbasi’s aim was to rectify the then perplexing societal and civil/legal response by creating the strong female journalist. “Know your place, Miss!” the policeman tells Rahimi. “It is about the deep-rooted misogyny within Iranian society, which is not specifically religious or political but cultural. ...” Zar Amir-Ebrahimi won Best Actress award at 2022 Cannes Film Festival, and HOLY SPIDER’s Denmark’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.