---
title: "Kiss of the Spider Woman: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/kiss-of-the-spider-woman/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/kiss-of-the-spider-woman"
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985): what the critics said

Critics' score 77 from 8 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative.

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 August 1985. 

The film tells a rare story in which surface appearances give way to deeper truths about freedom versus slavery. Ebert singles out the wonderful performances, particularly William Hurt's theatrical yet natural portrayal of Molina and Raul Julia's gradual revelation of poetry as Valentin.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-1985)

## Slant Magazine — Jeremiah Kipp

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 January 2026. 

The critic finds Babenco’s adaptation compelling for its exploration of human dignity, compassion, and unlikely bonds in a prison cell, praising the committed performances especially William Hurt’s Oscar-winning turn and Raul Julia’s grounded portrayal. The new 4K restoration is singled out for its sharp, detailed image and strong audio.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-4k-uhd-blu-ray-review-hector-babenco/)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Rating Critic’s Pick. 26 July 1985. 

Babenco's film is a brilliant achievement staged with perfect control and fierce originality, one of the best in a long while. Maslin singles out William Hurt's crafty, carefully nurtured, and finally stirring performance as Molina, which won him the best actor award at Cannes.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/26/movies/screen-babenco-s-kiss-of-the-spider-woman.html)

## Los Angeles Times — Sheila Benson

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 23 August 1985. 

The profoundly moving adaptation succeeds on a deep emotional level and as spellbinding entertainment. Benson singles out William Hurt's rapturous, generous, and acute characterization of Molina, which won him Best Actor at Cannes.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-08-23-ca-24647-story.html)

## Time Out — JG

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. 

The critic praises the lead performances of William Hurt and Raúl Julia as the cellmates and Babenco's subtle direction of their evolving relationship. The film's structure blending flashbacks, fantasy sequences and prison scenes is highlighted as effective.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-1)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1984. 

The review highlights the compelling dynamic between the two cellmates, with William Hurt's Molina and Raul Julia's Valentin delivering strong performances that meet in the middle despite their differences. Babenco employs a slicker, more choreographed style than in Pixote, with fine lensing in Sao Paulo.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-1200426550/)

## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 1985. 

The critic finds the film an ambitious but slack adaptation that sentimentalizes the source novel into a redemption drama. She praises William Hurt's performance as Molina for its tenderness and liveliness while criticizing the direction for lacking visual style, humor, and the novel's subversive edge on fantasy and escapism.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1985/08/26/tangled-webs-2)

## Collider — Julio Bardini

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 2023. 

The critic calls the 1985 film an underrated gem that blends reality and fantasy in a Brazilian prison setting, praising its dreamlike atmosphere and the transformative power of storytelling. It highlights strong performances by William Hurt, Raúl Juliá, and Sônia Braga while drawing parallels to Twin Peaks for its surreal style.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/kiss-of-the-spider-woman/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/kiss-of-the-spider-woman.md