I doubt that I’m dropping any sort of revelation here, but never trust a group that prefers you silent. The voices of the masses are the sword and shield against authoritarianism. An organization that deems its message as the only one that matters isn’t looking out for the betterment of the people…a concept we could all learn from these days. That’s also the idea at the center of director E.L. Katz’s (CHEAP THRILLS) third feature, AZRAEL, a post-apocalyptic monster movie. Nearly devoid of dialogue, the film is a fascinating experiment that can be frustrating in how little information is given but makes up for the confusion with creepy creatures and an as always stunning performance from star Samara Weaving.
Set some years after “the rapture”, we meet Azrael (Weaving) and her lover, Kenan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), on the run from a religious cult that means to sacrifice them to an ancient evil in the wilderness. An organization devout to the concept of speech as a sin, they have cut the vocal cords from themselves as well as Azrael and Kenan, leaving cross-shaped scars on their throats. When Kenan is captured and Azrael barely manages to escape with her life, she sets her sights on rescuing him from the maniacs…but she’ll have to fight her way through a forest full of monsters first.
Written by Simon Barrett (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST), AZRAEL is the sort of film that doesn’t just not hold your hand, it chops it the hell off. He and Katz toss the audience into this frightening, violent world without even a whisper of an explanation. There is no sense of time. Where these creatures have come from. Or even how much of the world has been affected. We don’t know what Azrael has done, why the cult seeks to sacrifice her, or what has led them to cutting their own vocal cords. Curious paintings in the cult’s rustic church that seem to reference an unfulfilled prophecy feature a blond woman, our only hint at Azrael’s role in this story. The filmmakers create a world of mystery, and they keep it that way, refusing to answer any of these questions while encouraging the audience to piece it together themselves. That’s refreshing in an environment where major studios have begun spoon-feeding viewers like helpless baby birds, but it also means that Katz’s latest inspires a healthy dose of frustration throughout. The premise itself is simple—woman fights man and monster to get her own man back—yet with so little world building, the film threatens to leave you floating in the howling wind that haunts the backdrop of the wilderness setting.
When your movie is more or less a silent film, it’s imperative to have a strong actor at the forefront. Luckily for AZRAEL, that’s the case with Samara Weaving. Between MAYHEM, THE BABYSITTER, READY OR NOT, and others, Weaving has proven herself a versatile actress with the ability to kick ass and take names. AZRAEL is no exception. Named after the Angel of Death, Weaving’s character delivers absolute fury upon both monster and man. We love a film that features Weaving soaked in blood. Playing a character that cannot speak or sign is a major challenge, one that the talented actress doesn’t shy away from. The best actors can say a lot with a look. Theda Bara, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford…Weaving channels the great silent film actresses and shines in her role, flexing her expressive muscles with captivating authority. Her fear. Her focus. Her fury. All of it shines as she carries the weight of the film on her shoulders.
Words are only useful in a society where people listen to reason. Unfortunately for Azrael and Kenan, “compassion” or “reason” don’t exist in the dictionary of the commune that hunts them. A little bit STAKELAND, a little bit THE SILENCE (2019), AZRAEL exists in a dark and cruel world made all the grimmer by a muted color palette. It’s like most other post-apocalyptic films in that way, colorless but for the gallons of blood spilt from savaged throats. Looking like the burnt ghosts of WE ARE STILL HERE with the neck-ripping viciousness of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT’s vampires, the aimless creatures of AZRAEL reflect a lost society fearful of Hell and led by outdated concepts. To be clear, it is not the monsters that have inspired the ritualistic cutting of vocal cords. While terribly inconsistent, they are more driven by blood, not sound. What Katz and Barrett imply is literal Hell on Earth in a world where voices are silenced, communication almost non-existent. What kind of society are we when we blindly follow leaders who prefer silence over talk, violence over reason? AZRAEL paints a bleak and bloody picture of just that.
Despite a frustratingly vague narrative and some inconsistencies amongst the film’s wandering creatures, AZRAEL nevertheless remains an intriguing concept carried by an absorbing performance from Samara Weaving. It may require multiple viewings to fully understand it, but with some solid scares, shocking bloodshed and a stellar lead, AZRAEL manages to mostly overcome its flaws as a filmic warning of the hell we welcome when we let ourselves be silenced…something to consider in this world where authoritarians are becoming all too prevalent.
AZRAEL slices into select theaters on September 27th from IFC Films and Shudder.
3/5
Preferred pronouns: He/him
Tags: 30 Days of Night, Azrael, Cheap Thrills, E.L. Katz, Gloria Swanson, IFC Films, Mary Pickford, Mayhem, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Ready Or Not, Samara Weaving, Shudder, Simon Barrett, Stakeland, The Babysitter, The Guest, The Silence, Theda Bara, We Are Still Here, You're Next
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