It Was Just an Accident

Vahid, the protagonist, abducts Eghbal, hitting him with a shovel and attempting to bury him alive in the desert before knocking him unconscious and confining him in a box in his van. The film includes multiple references to implied torture, such as a woman recounting being threatened and stripped naked, and a man being dragged naked across a prison floor by Eghbal, which highlights sexual degradation. Other former victims of Eghbal's torture suffer severe emotional and physical trauma, including one man stating his fiancée killed herself due to the torture and Vahid experiencing permanent back pain from beatings. The opening scene depicts a family hitting a dog with their car, resulting in the dog's death, though this is heard rather than graphically shown.

English subtitles contain at least two instances of the 'f-word' and thirteen instances of the 's-word'. The term 'b--tard' is used more than fifteen times, and other strong curse words such as 'a--,' 'b--ch,' 'h--,' 'p-ssed,' and 'whore' are also present. Discussions in fan communities indicate that the Persian dialogue features a 'vulgar slew of curses' and 'big slurs' that were significantly toned down in the English subtitles, implying a much higher frequency and intensity of profanity in the original language.

The film's premise involves Vahid's abduction of Eghbal and the subsequent deliberation by former prisoners regarding his fate, including threats of burying him alive, creating sustained psychological tension and dread. Scenes of forced confinement (Eghbal being held in a human-sized workbox in a van) and the recounting of past torture by a sadistic captor contribute to the disturbing and claustrophobic atmosphere. The narrative deeply explores trauma, paranoia, and moral dilemmas, which are central to the story and are described as emotionally demanding and unsettling for viewers.

The entire plot revolves around Vahid and other former prisoners rebelling against the state's perceived injustice by kidnapping a man they believe to be their torturer, Eghbal, and deciding his fate outside legal frameworks. Director Jafar Panahi himself created the film in a 'guerilla-style' without permission from the conservative Islamic government of Iran, defying a filmmaking ban, which is an act of significant artistic and political rebellion. The film satirizes Iranian officialdom's addiction to bribes, depicting security guards who explicitly ask for 'presents' and even use a debit card reader for contactless payments to accept bribes, highlighting systemic corruption and disrespect for the law by authorities.