Many films have seen musical adaptations, and then had those musicals adapted into their own films. Some of these musical remake movies have worked as an update to the story, like The Producers and The Color Purple, while others such as Mean Girls and Matilda have failed to justify their existence in the theatrical medium and not offered much new to the material. Kiss of the Spider Woman may have the same main characters and overall premise, but feels completely fresh, exciting, thematically powerful all over again, and even surpasses the original in many respects. The film’s unique approach sees two political prisoners in 1983 Argentina connecting over the memory of an old Hollywood movie, which they recount as a musical, providing them escape from and drawing parallels with their harsh reality. 

Tonatiuh gives a simply incredible performance as Molina, offering a completely new approach from William Hurt’s turn as the role in the 1985 film. Molina desperately wants to be a part of a world that’s rejected him, while believing in the best in others. Tonatiuh commands every single moment of his screen time, as a character telling a story, and coming to terms with his own inner weakness. Diego Luna also gives a career-best performance as revolutionary thinker Valentin, unlocking deep empathy and passion within his impatience and defensiveness. Jennifer Lopez, meanwhile, is playing a character with multiple levels of performance, in a role that may end up becoming a standout in her filmography.

As much as it is a condemnation of the dictatorship that ate away at the soul of Argentina until a few decades ago, it’s also a layered look into the development of a bond between two men who could not be more different, but learn to care about each other profoundly. The songs aren’t all memorable, but the effect the musical numbers create in contrasting between the fantasy and reality of the prison scenes elevates the film, not to mention an unforgettable ending that enriches the entire film, especially with the hindsight since the original film was released.