‘Azrael’ Review – ‘A Quiet Place’ Meets ‘Ready Or Not’ In A Dark And Bloody Tale

Samara Weaving is once more fighting for her life. This time, the battle is a post-apocalyptic hellscape in Azrael. This is A Quiet Place meets Ready or Not. The film, in concept, is a derivative exploit. The post-apocalyptic well is nearly bone dry. Azrael is a clever take on the genre because in this world where the Rapture has enfolded, no one, and I mean no one, speaks. The movie is all adrenaline and tension, without a single word of dialogue. Azrael speaks without speaking, delivering a riveting film capped off by a career-best by Weaving. As is often the case but is explicitly crafted here – less is more.

At the start, we are introduced to some expository writing. Quotes and sayings reappear throughout the film, elevating the film’s message. One from the beginning establishes the stakes. Many years after the Rapture…. Among the survivors, some are driven to renounce their sin of speech. We never know what has happened to the world, but we know that speech is the price people are paying, perhaps for their silence or complicity.

The world has gone to hell, and no one can talk about it – literally. A mysterious cult of mute fanatics stalks Azrael (Weaving), who breaks free of her captors. Yet they pursue her through the macabre forest. Part of the reason for Azrael’s captor is human sacrifice, the goal of the zealots. The group hopes that offering Azrael can ward off an ancient evil stalking the grounds. However, she thwarts their plans and begins a battle for personal survival from them and the demonic creatures.

The film is sparse on extra conflict. Much of Azrael involves a tortuous game of cat and mouse. However, it plays like a silent film, allowing it to succeed despite following the usual genre tropes. Yes, there is a heart-racing score and panic-inducing sound effects, but the lack of dialogue adds a new level of eeriness to the film. The absence of dialogue allows the actors to maneuver within the scenes, reacting with their pained and horrified expressions. It is often the case that the art of acting is reacting, and here, the reactions are worth the price of admission.

Samara Weaving is no stranger to the genre. In a throwback to her breakout role in Ready or Not, she is stalked and chased by a monster and unhinged people. However, this is far less campy and a straightforward thriller. Weaving carries the film without uttering a word, projecting a quiet determination amid all the horror and tragedy around her. She navigates the hellscape that is her world with a raw power without so much as a stutter. She says so much through her eyes, which are like an expressive window into her soul.

The film is an unrelenting tale of survival. Director E.L. Katz evokes elements of A Quiet Place, which also sees its protagonists as desperate to be silent in the face of unquestionable evil. Here, though, the challenge is not aliens; it is zealots. The story prods religious and cult worship to a bone-chilling result. Even though the evil the people are trying to alleviate is a fake construct, the movie’s situation with sacrifice in the name of a cult is real. The film draws on real-life references to create a foreboding sense of dread that is more terrifying than the evil stalking the woods.

There is a scene early on where the cult and its leader, Josephine (Katariina Unt), gather in a church that resembles a location from The Witch. Josephine is also a terror in her own right. Here is a brilliant exploration where the lack of dialogue works to dazzling effects. Murals adorn the walls, depicting the power of the cult and its need for sacrifice. The church also serves as the setting for a disturbing third-act twist that is both bloody and disturbing.

The lack of dialogue and use of grunts and whistles are chilling. In a world where so much is said and, at times, over-said, Azrael provides something fresh and innovative. Even though the story offers beats similar to those of other tales in the genre, at times, running and chasing wear thin. Yet, the movie has more than enough going for it and one terrifying entity. This is a unique spin on the genre, made even more memorable by the deafening and chilling silence.  

Azrael is currently playing exclusively in theaters courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder.