Synopsis: This demonic action-horror where a mute woman fights for her very survival will have you screaming for more. Many years following the apocalypse, a devout cult of mute zealots hunts down a young woman, Azrael, who has escaped her imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, Azrael is to be sacrificed to pacify an ancient evil that resides deep within the surrounding wilderness – yet she will stop at nothing to ensure her own survival. In what follows, Azrael makes a savage bid for freedom as her escape accelerates towards a vicious, revenge-fueled showdown. Starring Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Femme) and Vic Carmen Sonne (Holiday), Azrael: Angel of Death is written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) and directed by E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills).
If you’re wondering how well a modern genre film can work with no dialogue, you need look no further than director E.L. Katz’s horror outing Azrael: Angel of Death (AKA Azrael; Estonia/U.S., 2024). Packed with action and gore, the thrills come hard, fast, and plentiful, with an air of mystery to the proceedings, as well.
Revenge thriller, creature feature, religious-cult horror — Azrael: Angel of Death delivers all this and more. Driving everything is the fantastic lead performance by Weaving. Azrael is a physically demanding role and Weaving absolutely comes through in that aspect, but with no dialogue — the characters have taken a religious vow of silence, giving up the sin that is speech after the Rapture — she conveys so much through facial expressions and her eyes. Weaving’s performance alone is reason enough to give the film a watch.
Naturally, viewers who favor backstory, explanations of the five w’s and how, and of course dialogue are likely to have some issues with Azrael: Angel of Death. That said, the proceedings unfold in a manner that is easy to follow and paced well. The rather simple chain of events finds Azrael in increasingly perilous predicaments, and as savvy genre-film aficionados might surmise, she’s likely to survive most of them, though doesn’t remain injury free. Barrett knows well how to write an exciting action-horror film screenplay, as evidenced by such features as You’re Next (U.S., 2011) and The Guest (U.S., 2014), and though these and other screenplays of his boast engaging and sometimes darkly humorous dialogue, here he proves himself more than able to craft a near-silent, more “pure cinema” approach, as well.
Katz is no stranger to fear fare, either, having helmed several acclaimed television and film projects such as episodes of The Haunting of Bly Manor (U.S., 2020) and Channel Zero (U.S./Canada, 2018). With Azrael: Angel of Death, he proves himself up to the task of creating mounting tension and delivering violent, gore-soaked set pieces. Speaking of which, the special effects and makeup departments deserve high praise for crafting jaw-dropping practical effects and creating some creepy creatures.
Seasoned fright-fare fanatics will have seen many of the basic elements of Azrael: Angel of Death already, but the manner in which Katz, Weaving, and a solid supporting cast present this feature is an intriguing take on things. The film sets out to entertain, and it does just that.
Azrael: Angel of Death screened as part of Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, which ran from 22–26 August, 2024 in London, U.K. For more information, visit https://frightfest.co.uk/.
Azrael: Angel of Death is available on Digital 30 September and DVD and Blu-ray 7 October. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.
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