Speak No Evil

In a post-Rapture world, a woman and her partner are being hunted down by a cult who has deemed speech a form of evil (going as far as to cut out the vocal chords of their members). However, their pursuers are not all the danger they must be wary of, as the world has since been afflicted with a form of bloodthirsty demonic brood which the cult has successfully kept at bay with human offerings at the behest of the spiritually influenced demands of their leader and apparent prophetess. What awaits our heroine in a hopeless world left to chaos and confusion?

Given its choice to eschew dialogue, Azrael is something of a conundrum at first but, what might feel like a gimmick eventually reveals itself to be a useful instrument in engaging the audience and keeping them on their toes. Playing largely as a action-thriller for the majority of its runtime, the film also manages to effectively juggle apocalyptic horror, survival horror, and revenge thriller (all of which converge nicely for its sinister eschatological ending). 

As you can imagine, much more is demanded of the audience if they are solely dependent on visuals. Laying its premise on the shoulders of the very capable (and empathetic) Samara Weaving as the lead proves a wise choice as, no matter where you might be in wrestling with the odds and ends of the premise, you will wholeheartedly root for her to come out victorious. This, delightfully, becomes something of its own complexity by the time the film culminates. 

The score and locations complement the concept well and makeup and special effects, though simple, are surprisingly...well...effective. An ominous atmosphere of dire eventuality permeates the whole of the film and, in my humble opinion, pays off quite well when all is said and done. I'd say more but it's a pleasure best discovered. 

Azrael is a movie that drops you in blind and takes you on a particular ride while it slowly mutates into something far more horrifying than it projects and, hey, that's a good thing. This is a world where winning might not be the best option. Thankfully, it is also a world that feels like it deems an immediate revisit, if only to experience it with newly illuminated eyes.