I hope no confused households pondering they’re going to see the origin story of Gargamel’s cat stumble into Azrael, the scattershot however tremendous brutal post-apocalyptic folk-horror flick from Cheap Thrills director E.L. Katz that’s hitting theaters this weekend. Because that’d certain make for some traumatized kiddos—“Why are the Smurfs all burned up and chewing on that man’s throat, mommy???” Hello nightmares for all times.
Written by Simon Barrett of You’re Next and The Guest fame and starring Ready or Not phenom Samara Weaving, that is very a lot the hyper-violent amalgamation of these titles I simply listed—a continuous actioner that pushes Weaving’s spindly limbs to their restrict, Azrael is dripping with black blood and blacker intentions. It’s additionally frustratingly dripping from one too many self-inflicted wounds of its personal vagueness. It summons a darkish and distinctive spell, sure, however while you’ve left the theater there too many nagging questions nipping at your heels.
But that may simply be the worth we pay for the close to whole wordlessness that’s readily available. Yup, Azrael is mainly a silent film. As we determine throughout the first 5 minutes Azrael (Weaving) and her fire-building bestie beloved Kenan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett from Candyman and Femme) aren’t not talking to 1 one other as a result of they’re in a tiff; neither is it as a result of A Quiet Place’s sound-sniffing monsters have wandered over into their film. No, a fast shot of the cross-shaped scars on their throats tells us sufficient—specifically that, very similar to Ariel the mermaid earlier than them, their voices have been snatched.
Whether this was by alternative or by power we’re left unsure—certainly Azrael likes to depart issues unsure. Which is often nice by me. Admirable even. Don’t spell the whole lot out an excessive amount of! But up to a degree. And generally Azrael stumbles previous that time, feeling like there may be a whole sequel sitting on Barrett’s laptop computer that’s primed to deal with some massive mysteries that this film, as stands, steadfastly refuses to. And that’s not such a cute realization. There are hints of a whole world working exterior of this story, exterior of the small circle of forest it takes place in, that in the tip really feel extra annoying than they do tantalizing. For one they usually undo the sense of suffocating confinement the film retains going for—when you’re going to have your whole characters preserve returning to the very same spot over and over and over, I’m going to wish some actual solutions as to why. What finally ends up a purple herring isn’t gonna minimize it. Quite frankly Azrael must put up or shut up.
Anyway for a second there firstly Azrael and her boy Kenan are having a superbly good time not speaking, gathering flowers and being lovey-dovey. But since it is a film and never a Massengil business a plot erupts, they usually’re all of a sudden on the run from a pack of hooded figures who hunt them down while speaking by way of creepy bird-song. Eventually the twosome are caught, cut up up, shoved into automobile trunks, and brought off to separate places. We comply with our title character natch, and the following factor Azrael is aware of she’s outta that trunk and being tied to a chair in the center of nowhere, stabbed, and left to take a seat there bleeding till one thing even worse sniffs her out.
They won't be the Quiet Place monsters however Azrael does certainly site visitors in supernatural beasties—with flesh blackened like dangerous barbecue and a imply style for human meat, there be zombie-types lurking about. And it could seem that Azrael’s the highest of their menu. But Azrael seems to be a artful one, not one for being eaten. And from right here on out this film turns into an prolonged chase that pushes her to the restrict, then previous the restrict, then ten occasions across the globe round that restrict and again three extra. This film is mainly a marathon of ache for the actress and the character, pushing Samara as Azrael nicely previous brutalized, and he or she proves greater than as much as the duty of motion star. But then we already knew this, due to Ready or Not. Yes it's true, Samara Weaving is a bonafide film star, and this film is but extra definitive proof of that. Even as its scattered and repetitive antics develop more and more irritating, Weaving drags us semi-happily alongside for the journey, time and time once more discovering ourselves awestruck by her infinite fierceness.
Where Azrael the film wanders off to plot-wise from this level I feel it’s finest left to the viewer’s discovery. There are snips and snails of The Village and Rosemary’s Baby, and on a scene by scene foundation, as Azrael finds herself backed into literal corners by the barrage of terrible folks and issues which have it out for her, there’s loads of pleasure to be drawn from watching simply how she’ll get out of every inconceivable sitch. On the entire, I’d argue all of it doesn’t add up in the slightest—there are plot holes yawning open as fervently because the maws of the film’s nightmare beasts. But it’s enjoyable sufficient and brutal sufficient and well-shot sufficient. And Weaving, whole professional, makes us a meal out of her each second. Samara Weaving, ass-kicker supreme. I’ll actually savor it each time it’s served.
