Post-apocalyptic novels, at least in movies, tend to feature massive catastrophes caused by environmental collapse or alien invasion. It rarely centers on the biblical book of Revelation. Azrael But this is the rare film that comes after “Ecstasy.” It’s a lean and mean action thriller, even if it’s not particularly interested in the questions it raises.
The post-ecstasy world presented in the movie is an interesting one. A large number of people choose to remain silent. The opening title card explains that in this new world speaking is considered a sin. With their vocal cords severed, people communicate primarily through gestures and hugs.
But like most post-disaster worlds, what follows is a world of cruelty and violence. In this world, a group of scavengers, possibly fanatics, capture the lover Azrael (samara weaving) and Kennan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett). Their captors separated them, and Azrael was sacrificed to a horrific creature. She escapes and tries to find Kenan, but her kidnappers continue to pursue her.
Describe the plot Azrael Honestly, it’s a guessing game. call Azrael Silent movies are not a good fit. The crude depiction makes it clear that someone is after Azrael. The relationships between certain characters or the hierarchy of rivals are easy to figure out. There are some truly terrifying monsters here. The action scenes are well handled and bloody throughout (especially the fight that follows the car crash).
The reason for all this is unclear. Are Azrael and Kanan former members of the community they are hunting? Are they part of a community of unbelievers? Is Azrael destined for something terrible to happen? Who is the pregnant woman leading these people? What do these people believe? Are those blood-sucking and man-eating creatures demons or possessed humans?
The director put too many details in the film El Katz and writer Simon Barrett There is no communication or visual processing possible outside of artificial biblical subtitles. The texture of a post-apocalyptic world is where things come alive. Think about how people talk about gasoline or how people dress george miller’s mad max Movie.
Here, the lack of dialogue and survivalist fashion do little to give the audience a sense of the world outside of the near-future time frame. Even the final shot, which at least clarifies one thing, frustratingly raises questions and obscures what we’ve already seen. There are clues here and there, but the initial viewing feels frustratingly vague.
The film has a really good visual delivery, and that’s Samara Weaving. The Australian actress has once again proven herself to be one of the most compelling performers of her generation. She doesn’t say anything in this movie except for a few grunts, but she proves capable of holding the audience’s attention. Her expressions and steely determination tell her character’s story better than anything in this movie. Here’s an actress working in a genre film whose performance puts her skills on stunning display. Her performances in genre films are clearly molded in the Jamie Lee-Curtis/Sigourney Weaver mold. You could say she’s in the same league.
Weaving performance is what makes the real difference Azrael Delightful. Her battles with madmen and monsters never get old. You can’t take your eyes off her throughout this 85-minute film. There’s an interesting premise here, but it’s muddled by vague execution. For all the carefully executed scares and inventive action scenes, the plot is left to solve itself on its own, with clues that are nearly unrecognizable. Like its protagonist, the film’s action is great, but it struggles with conveying what it’s trying to say.
Azrael is currently playing in theaters.
