Azrael

Would have made a great short which seems to be the case for alot of these features these days. This film is massively padded out with dross that needs editing out. Found my eyes closing at a couple of moments during the film which is never a good sign, same was said for A Violent Nature. There's a reason no one has told the slasher story like that before and it's because it's a snooze fest.

This looks great on paper and like I said would make a great short but there is nothing in this feature that was new or unique. Mute cults... um sure, Valhalla Rising did this masterfully. Also I did not buy it. These people have supposed to be mute for a very long time yet they exhibit no real form of other communication. It all felt staged. A world not earned or lived in.

I think my biggest gripe is that this film lacks so much clarity. It presents a bunch of questions and answers none.

Some nice gory bits in it but that's about it.

Azrael starts with an intriguing premise: a post-apocalyptic setting where a woman, played by the talented Samara Weaving, is hunted by a cult. It seems like a horror film with potential, especially with Weaving, who's known for her solid roles in the genre. However, despite the promising setup, the movie stumbles in several areas.

The decision to have almost no dialogue is bold, reminiscent of films like A Quiet Place or Bird Box, but unlike those, Azrael fails to use this strategy to create the same level of tension or immersion. With only three lines spoken throughout the film, the narrative struggles to find clear direction, leaving many questions unanswered.

The biggest issue is the film's indecision about its genre. It tries to be a bit of everything: supernatural, slasher, psychological horror, and even a survival thriller. This mix of genres, rather than enriching the story, ends up diluting it, resulting in a film that lacks a clear path and fails to establish its own identity.

Still, there are a few positives worth noting. The chase scenes are well done and manage to build some adrenaline, though they fall short of reaching their full potential. The religious atmosphere in certain parts is also intriguing, but unfortunately, it's not explored as deeply as it could have been.

Samara Weaving, often associated with horror, delivers a decent performance, but it's far from memorable. Compared to her role in Ready or Not, which will soon have a sequel, Weaving feels underused in Azrael, as if the film doesn't give her the space to truly shine.

Overall, Azrael has good ideas, but it lacks the cohesion and depth needed to truly stand out. It's a film that entertains but doesn't leave a lasting impression, getting lost in its attempt to be everything at once.

There is only one positive thing about this film. The cinematography, but only a quarter of it. They reallly get you in the first act with this Resident Evil 4 aesthetic. After that, it's like they only had budget for a n00b of a camera operator.

However, the more we get into the story, if that's what you want to call it, the more comically ridiculous it gets.

For example, the whistling. That's really the next best way to communicate? There have been movies that I'm use sign language but it feels unnecessary to the narrative. But in this film, it is the perfect time to use some sign, and yet we are stuck with these idiots whistling at each other like some choo choo trains.

This is a well put together movie. The production, sound and lighting are all pretty strong. The acting, despite a word not being uttered, is good. Samara weaving was excellent as the determined and gritty lead. I'm keen to see her in action with actual lines.

The dialogue free story moves at a fair pace without ever truly grabbing you by the balls. It's occasionally gory/bloody and unnerving but is never jumpy or particularly frightening.

There are small breadcrumbs of clues smattered around about the post rapture apocalyptic world the movie is set in - but there's a lot left up to your own interpretation and many won't get past that.

I'm still most confused how such a fine looking truck decked out with all the mod cons pops up out of nowhere. Especially driven by a relatively normal guy (that actually speaks)!?

A better, more polished effort than many I've watched on shudder but no classic by any means.

I would like to describe how frustrating it is to watch a film like this but ... there are no words.

It's some post appocalyptic scenario (maybe) and there are people in the woods who seem to (maybe) worship some force of evil, embodied by zombie-like demons that lurk in the woods.

People run around in the woods and there are some fights between the maybe good and maybe bad guys until eventually it draws to a somewhat unambiguous ending.

There are some awesome gore effects and the movie is expertly made but why they wanted to go the silent route is bizarre. It is tedious and you just don't care about any of the no-name characters and the things they don't say.

I'm sure some will rave about this movie but for me it did not work.