1985’s Kiss of the Spider Woman was a highly regarded film at the time of its release, earning a Best Picture nomination and an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for William Hurt. Because this story has already been told in a way that critics and audiences positively responded to, the idea of a remake 40 years later seems a bit like a cash grab. Luckily for Bill Condon’s Kiss of a Spider Woman, he finds a way to make the story feel fresh through its grand spectacle and vibrant storytelling.

Kiss of the Spider Woman follows Valentín and Molina, played by Diego Luna and Tonatiuh, as they share a cell in prison. Valentín is a political prisoner who’s been abused by the staff in an attempt to get information out of him. Molina was sent to prison for public indecency, but once in prison, they were assigned a task to get information out of Valentín in order to receive a reduced sentence. After recounting the events of Molina’s favorite Hollywood movie, the two form an unlikely bond with one another, which has Molina questioning whether they want to screw over Valentín in favor of his freedom.

Despite taking place mostly in the confines of a prison, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a dazzling cinematic experience worthy of the big screen treatment. Filled with elaborate musical numbers and massive sets, the film’s spectacle is on display throughout the film. Even the prison cell has its own cinematic magic, with its digital, greyed-out look perfectly blending the characters’ psyches into an always-appealing image. Far different from the average prison drama, this is a vibrant and lively film despite its depressing subject matter.

The production design of the prison serves the movie well, but it’s the sets of the Hollywood movie that truly stand out. The film is unafraid to express its inspiration from older Hollywood movies, with the locations truly looking and feeling like sets from a different era of cinema. The colors absolutely pop, with an almost Technicolor look that brings Molina’s telling of the Hollywood film to life. The sets are massive, allowing the background characters to move across the frame to convey the scale. From dance halls to forests, Kiss of the Spider Woman has some of the best production designs of the year.

The cinematography is also one of the film’s main highlights. The wide-angle lens captures the grandeur of the musical and dance sequences beautifully. The cinematography is equally compelling in its smaller sequences, with close-ups of Valentín and Molina enhancing their emotionally charged performances, making their characters fully realized. A film like this could’ve easily come across as a stage production, but the cinematography gives it a cinematic flavor it desperately needed.

Delivering performances comparable to the Oscar-winning work of the original film, but Kiss of the Spider Woman somehow manages to make it comparable. Diego Luna and Tonatiuh are fantastic as two prisoners stripped of their basic human rights, conveying their struggles with identity in an emotionally impactful way. Luna plays a character extremely similar to Cassian Andor but delivers a far deeper portrayal of a political prisoner through an internal dive into masculinity and purpose. Tonatiuh Molina is far more understanding of the kind of person they are, exuding their energetic personality in every frame while conveying a sadness that is easy to empathize with. The writing from Bill Condon behind the two leads is excellent, but it’s the passionate performances from Luna and Tonatiuh that truly bring them to life.

Jennifer Lopez has surrounded the film’s Oscar conversation in terms of which performance should be nominated, but her character lacks the nuance that the central protagonists inherit. Despite her character’s limited depth, Lopez is still amazing in the role. Having a background in singing and dancing allowed her to go all in on her role as a movie star, with numerous long takes centered on her talents that made for many show-stopping moments in the film. Even if her character lacked nuance, Lopez still made a huge impression on the film.

The film delves into themes of identity, purpose, art, and justice. While there are moments when these themes have satisfying conclusions, especially regarding the relationship between Valentín and Molina, not all of them are given their due. For a film that’s fairly contained, the movie attempts to bite off a little more than it can chew, leaving more to be desired. The movie includes the line “¡Viva la revolución!”, but it doesn’t inspire the audience to do anything, which is especially daunting given that One Battle After Another used the same line in a significantly more impactful way.

The musical set pieces are astonishing to look at, but the songs themselves lack memorability. Although the songs’ themes align with the protagonists’ current situation, they lack the personality and gravitas of the rest of the filmmaking. Jennifer Lopez may be adding a lot of charisma to the songs, but it isn’t enough to elevate them to greater heights.

The existence of Kiss of the Spider Woman may be questionable, which has led to poor box-office performance, but the film has more than enough standout qualities to make it worth a trip to the theater. Led by charismatic performances from Tonatuih, Diego Luna, and Jennifer Lopez, this musical is bound to catch many people by surprise.

Kiss of the Spider Woman is now playing in select theaters.

Rating: 7/10

Oscar Prospects:

None