Kiss of The Spider Woman: Rebellion, Betrayal, Musical

There’s something timeless about how some movies keep finding new life from page to stage to screen, and Kiss of the Spider Woman is one of those rare few. At its core, it’s always been about escape, whether from the walls of a prison or the walls of our mind. This book-turned-play-turned-film takes us on a nostalgic, musical journey. Reimagining the 1985 adaptation, the 2025 version directed by Bill Condon leans into that theme, blending rebellion, betrayal, and fantasy through colour, music, and performance. With Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh leading, it’s a vivid reminder that art, even in our darkest moments, can still feel like freedom.

Premise

The year is 1983, during Argentina’s Dirty War. Kiss of the Spider Woman follows two prisoners. Valentín, a hardened political activist, and Luis Molina, a gay man jailed for his sexuality. Sharing a cell, the two couldn’t be more different. Valentín just wants to be left alone with his thoughts and writings, while Molina always has something to say, always humming, fussing, or recounting scenes from old films.

Eventually, Valentín relents, allowing himself to listen as Molina distracts them both from their grim reality with his favourite story — Kiss of the Spider Woman, a lush musical starring the glamorous Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez). In this movie-within-the-movie, Aurora, a celebrated fashion icon sceptical of love, falls for Armando, only to give him up to save a village by striking a deal with the mysterious Spider Woman. Her jealous assistant, Kendall Nesbitt, betrays them but redeems himself in the end, taking Armando’s place and sealing his fate with a kiss.

Meanwhile, back in reality, Molina has been secretly coerced by the prison authorities to spy on Valentín, a deal that might earn him a chance to see his ailing mother again. But as days turn into weeks, something shifts. Molina abandons his secret mission, his fondness for Valentín growing genuine. What begins as manipulation becomes connection. Two people finding fragments of humanity in the unlikeliest place.

When Molina is finally released, it isn’t the freedom he imagined. The authorities have other plans, and the story turns tragic. Yet in his fantasy, in that world of music, love, and colour, Molina feels fulfilled and exactly where he’s meant to be.

Cast and Performances

What I loved most about the performances is how each actor carried two versions of themselves — one real, one imagined, and somehow made both feel alive without ever blending the lines.

Jennifer Lopez is pure magnetism as Aurora and the Spider Woman. She glides through her scenes with that signature star power, commanding the music, the movement, and the mood. She’s the heartbeat of the fantasy, the one you can’t look away from.

enorme-bide-pour-jennifer-Kiss of The Spider Woman

Diego Luna, as Valentín and his dream self Armando, gives a performance that feels quietly powerful. You see a man fighting not just a system, but his own fading hope.

Then there’s Tonatiuh, the soul of it all. As Luis Molina and Kendall Nesbitt, he’s tender, flawed, and human. Molina is the storyteller who bridges two worlds — fantasy and prison walls. His emotion drives the film; his vulnerability makes you care. By the end, it’s his story that stays with you.

What I Liked

Kiss of the Spider Woman had that nostalgic old-school musical charm, almost like something from The Sound of Music era. I hadn’t seen the 1985 film or read Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, but this version felt fresh and almost like its own original story.

The musical numbers were easily the highlight. Lopez and the others brought real flair and emotion to their performances, and I honestly couldn’t imagine a better cast for it. The costumes were elegant and perfectly captured the time and tone of the story.

What I also loved was how smoothly the movie shifted between fantasy and reality. The music, the colour, and the pacing all flowed beautifully. The fantasy world, for me, was an escape, and I think that’s exactly what it was meant to be.

What Didn’t Work

As captivating as the fantasy world was, there was an uneven balance between it and the real one. The fantasy storyline, meant to mirror reality, didn’t quite carry the same emotional weight or urgency. It looked beautiful but often felt hollow, serving more as an escape than a true reflection of the characters’ struggles.

In contrast, while the real-world stakes were clearly higher, the film didn’t dig deep enough into what those stakes truly were. The attempt to explore the inner lives of the two men felt more hinted at than fully realised.

Final Thoughts

Kiss of the Spider Woman is haunting, tender, and visually enchanting, a film that thrives on its contrasts: fantasy and reality, love and betrayal, freedom and confinement. I found myself drawn more to the dream world than the real one, maybe because, like Molina, it offered a kind of beauty that felt easier to hold on to. It’s not a perfect film, but it lingers both emotionally and visually.

Rating

I would rate Kiss of the Spider Woman 3.5/5.

Our Rating of This Movie

What about you? Did you find freedom in its fantasy, or did the real world hold you tighter?

Author

Alexander Azonobo

Alex is a writer with an undeniable passion for movies and the stories they tell. He loves diving into the world of cinema—exploring its themes, characters, and the artistry that brings it all to life. With an eye for detail and a love for storytelling, he writes to share his thoughts and spark conversations about the films that move, challenge, and inspire us.