Kiss of the Spider Woman Review: Bill Condon Hits This Political Musical Out of the Park

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Movies have simultaneously provided comfort during hard times while often espousing the mentality of the status quo. The dichotomy of escapism and propaganda is at the heart of director Bill Condon's beautifully rendered of Manuel Puig's novel--itself turned into a feature film in 1985 by Hector Babenco--Kiss of the Spider Woman. What results from Condon's two-hour opus is a swirling, magnetic tribute to Old Hollywood musicals couched in the story of two political prisoners trying to survive oppressive conditions.

Condon, also the screenwriter, crafts a story that builds on what the writer did with Chicago in how it utilizes stardom, music, and power during oppressive times. Couple that with searing performances by Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez, and Kiss of the Spider Woman may not be the best musical of all times, but it's certainly one of the most dazzling films of 2025.

The year is 1983 in Argentina, where a vicious government currently imprisons political agitators as well as those deemed outside by the government. Valentin Arregui (Luna) is a member of the resistance with information the government wants. Luis Molina (Tonatiuh) is imprisoned for being a gay man and forced to room with Valentin in the hopes of extracting information in order to secure parole. Valentin isn't aware of Molina's intentions, but doesn't like his new roommate, specifically for Molina's love of movies. But, as the two are forced to rely on each other, Valentin becomes enmeshed in Molina's recounting a movie he loves starring Ingrid Luna (Lopez) called Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Condon fully enmeshes audiences in the fantastic worlds he creates, whether that's 1920s Chicago, 1800s France, or even Forks, Washington (the man made two Twilight films). There's a sense of scope and history created without ever belaboring the point and that's necessary here, both for Valentin and Molina's imprisonment as well as in Molina's recounting of the movie. Even when the outside world threatens the interiority of their dream, the viewer grasps at how fleeting it in. This world of oppression and hatred will one day crumble and what will remain are the "pleasant thoughts" found between Molina and Valentin in the dark, celebrating their friendship, love, and love for the movies.

There's a passionate vein that runs through the movie, whether that be Valentin's commitment to the resistance--he's willing to die if he has to--or Molina's passion for what films bring him. There's even a deep well of passion within Kiss of the Spider Woman, the fictional movie, in the character of Aurora, the fictional woman Lopez's Ingrid Luna plays who believes she'll never love. Luna is perfectly cast as the strong-willed revolutionary. Clearly someone watched him in Andor. He's a character who doesn't shine but convey a sense of strength. He's the stalwart cynic, rolling his eyes at Molina's love for movies, seeing the gay man as weak for his presumption that movies "had respect for women then." Valentin sees movies as shills for the state and yet, in Luna's hand, the audience never pulls away from him but admit he's certainly tempering expectations.

But, like most movie fans, who wants to be reminded of how movies are political tools? It's why Tonatiuh's Molina dominates the movie. Molina's love for the movies masks a wellness of pain, whether that be for how he's oppressed due to his sexuality, or for all the lovers who have used and left him. When he meets Valentin, he sees a curmudgeon but also another cold man to gravitate towards romantically. When Molina tells the story both of them find representation in the movie within the movie; Valentin also plays Aurora's politically inclined love interest, while Molina is her queer-coded valet perpetually on the sidelines.

Tonatiuh is a revelation. Not only does he have a lovely voice, shown off in songs like "She's a Woman" and "Only in the Movies," but warmth radiates off him. He makes Molina a highly compassionate man just seeking love. As much as Valentin pushes him aside, Molina comes back stronger, just not to be released from prison but to find someone who understands who he is (outside of his mother).

It is in the fictional Spider Woman film where the movie becomes truly breathtaking. Condon knows his way around making something beautiful so it's unsurprising that Scott Chambliss's production design and Colleen Atwood's costumes are flawless. Same for those working hair and makeup. But all of this opens up the movie to examining how movies become our saviors. Songs like "Where You Are" literally discuss how movies can be therapy for us, so long as we aren't living our lives by them. And there is such a deep wellspring of adherence to what makes the golden age of Hollywood sing (Ingrid Luna is drawn from the likes of Cyd Charisse). For Molina, he wants to be Ingrid Luna, not only for her ability to wear glamorous gowns, but to be adored, accepted, and respected.

When Tonatiuh and Lopez perform it is utterly magnetic, with the former actor easily on the same level as the veteran actress. They complement each other which makes sense as, to Molina, they are two halves of the same coin. Lopez, to her credit, IS Ingrid Luna. The character is a literal cipher, a combination of an actress playing a part as well as Molina's conception of her. But in dual role as the Spider Woman and as Ingrid Luna, you see the dichotomy of being a character and a performer.

For Molina, Ingrid Luna is a playful imaginary friend--crooning to him to "come play with me"--and on the other she is a temptress who could shatter his dreams at any moment. For Molina, the reality of Ingrid being her own person can't happen. Lopez is utterly gorgeous (no surprise) but she's forced to convey an entire character strictly through song. Her performances of the title song and a romantic ballad like "I Do Miracles" show off her voice and her ability to impart fear, longing, romance, and anger.

If there are any flaws in the film it's in Kander and Ebb's songs, which feel short or truncated. They play in the film more like TikTok songs, cut off after a bridge or two. Something like "Kiss of the Spider Woman," the eponymous track, is not even three minutes.

Kiss of the Spider Woman is astounding. If you aren't a musical fan, will you be in hell? Probably. But for those who enjoy a sweeping musical story, or for lovers of Old Hollywood, you'll be in Heaven for the next two hours.

Grade: A

Kiss of the Spider Woman hits theaters October 10.

Are you planning to see Kiss of the Spider Woman? What do you think of the trailer? Drop it in the comments.

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