Thanks to polished cinematography, bloody, brutal violence, and another fierce performance from Samara Weaving that furthers her chokehold on horror at large, Azrael transcends any tropes it may flirt with and forges through as a strong example within the post-apocalyptic subsect of the genre.
A visceral survivalist actioner with biblical undertones, the Azrael of the title is a mute woman (Weaving) who, when we first meet her, is walking through the surrounding woods in a post-Rapture world, where humanity’s devout survivors have taken a vow of silence. Quiet subservience is assured by cutting the vocal cords, but there’s a more unnerving presence lingering, and we gather the severity of survival when Azrael and her lover, Kenan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), are chased down by hostile forces, forcing them apart.
With the film having next-to-no dialogue, writer Simon Barrett (You’re Next, The Guest, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire) and director E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills) build intrigue through visual representation. Similarly, Azrael doesn’t rely on overt exposition to set up its character dynamics, with the relationship between Azrael and Kenan (whose character names are only known once the final credits roll) built upon through pure physical contact, which only exacerbates Weaving’s stunning turn.
Whilst the film submits to a cat-and-mouse temperament that can occasionally wear thin on its continued cycle, and there’s a certain Quiet Place-ness about the setting (no one can talk lest they be devoured by bloodthirsty creatures), Azrael manages to mostly avoid any familiarity with its Christian mythology inspiration. The creatures at the centre of the carnage are also not outer-worldly, and their clear human origins only adds to the film’s overall discomforting nature. Additionally, as much as these “creatures” – human forms with dark, almost burnt-like skin – are the narrative’s villainous force, the cult that force Azrael on her run for survival and their willingness to inflict pain make them equally as antagonistic.
Just why Azrael is on the run is all brought to light as she storms towards the climax of the film’s tight 85 minute running, and the final moments are deliciously demented in what it suggests going forward beyond the credits rolling. But much like her dominance in such efforts as Mayhem, The Babysitter and Ready Or Not, Weaving’s commitment to the bloody cause is what continually keeps Azrael storming afloat. She takes an absolute beating throughout, but it’s that which makes her resilience all the more stirring when she rises like an unearthly phoenix; I dare anyone to not smile with glee at the film’s final frame.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Azrael is now screening in select theatres in the United States before streaming on Shudder at a later date. Azrael will be screening as part of this year’s Monster Fest Australia, playing October 4th – 12th, 2024 in Melbourne, and October 4th – 6th in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.
