AZRAEL (2024)

Maika Monroe of: Longlegs (2024), Watcher (2022), It Follows (2014), Villains (2019), Tau (2018), and Mia Goth of: (Maxxxine (2024), Pearl (2022), X (2022), Infinity Pool (2023) and Suspiria (2018), as well as Samara Weaving of: Ready or Not (2019), The Babysitter (2017), The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020) and Scream IV (2023), all of whom I revere as the current reigning horror queens. These three women continually choose (interestingly) macabre roles, and if I see any one of these three names attached, I’m watching.

Now Weaving adds Azrael to her filmography, a post-rapture survival film in which she is mute. She, along with her lover, traipse the forest where an unknown threat is lurking. And herein lies the might of this film; zero exposition with only Weaving’s expressive face and her wits to witness as the threats make themselves known.

The film is quick and never lingers, which is the precise speed one wants in a film almost completely devoid of  dialogue. (**SPOILER ALERT**) My only issue are the forest creatures. Sometimes they move quickly, sometimes not. They can smell blood really really well, but they don’t seem to see you unless they move in really close? Don’t light a fire ’cause that attracts them, but also have loads of fires all the time if you have a rickety little fence which they can’t get over, yet they can fly up a tree if you’re up a tree. So ya, a little inconsistent.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: Weaving’s physical performance and the film’s disorienting, allegorical slice of life structure are what make this one to watch.