In The Shadow

2011 • 99 minutes

About this movie

Exhausted from the demands of his abilities as a healer, Diego lives in isolation on a small island in his native Puerto Rico. However, his quiet life is disrupted when Hilary, an American documentarian, arrives to continue her project on migration and identity. Attracted to Diego's mystery and the local gossip about him, she becomes close to him, but discovers his "talent" has a violent edge, one that brings painful consequences to both of them.

Ratings and reviews

This is one of those films where the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Suspenseful, beautiful imagery. There is a dream/hallucination sequence in this movie that shocked and terrified me and I LOVED it. Couldn't stop thinking about it and really felt for the main character which was portrayed by a pretty fantastic Jorge Sermini. A huge fan of the score as well. I think I'm gonna have to watch it again.

In the Shadow is a film you'd enjoy putting on without knowing very much about at all. I watched it without knowing anything about it, and I think that was to my benefit. The pacing was great, scenery & cinematography just lovely, and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of character development that transpired considering the subject matter. Honestly, I was left thinking about this movie after I had turned it off, which I think is genuinely rare. The subject matter is quite thrilling, but in the hands of other filmmakers, could have ended up being just another dumbed down, cheap thrill. It's a thought provoking movie with a solid performance by Jorge Sermini. Very moody, capturing some really cool moments & with some actual character/atmosphere about it... unlike a lot of debut films. For someone looking to roll the dice on a smaller project or just a thriller in general - go for it.

Shot on location in Puerto Rico, In the Shadow boasts a beautiful cinematic backdrop for a sinister and suspenseful story. What I appreciate about this film is how a very rich and intriguing allegory develops from an otherwise normal man and his daughter. A splendid mix of the natural world and not-so-natural. There seems to be a unique style and taste to the flow of the film as well. A bit of an unsettling current runs throughout the coarse of the film that is accentuated by the film's haunting score. With the lens of the camera turned on the documentarian making the documentary, the acting comes across as very candid and natural. Do yourself a favor and forgo the latest Hollywood pedestrian reincarnation of whatever and support this unexpected and original feature.