Samara Weaving is slowly becoming one of the next scream queens, having starred in horror movies such as The Babysitter and its sequel The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Ready or Not, and a role in Scream IV. Azrael, a horror thrill ride utilizing genre conventions with its own twist is a film that is most enjoyable when going in blind. That being said, Azrael follows a woman (Samara Weaving) who has made an escape from a group of people living in the woods, fighting for her life to survive a dark fate. It sucks the audience in from the first scene and doesn’t let up until its final conclusion.
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What makes Azrael stand out is the use of its actors’ physical talent through facial expressions, survival actions, and fight sequences. Samara Weaving is an undeniable force when it comes to her physicality in horror films, being able to portray determination and strength even in the most dire circumstances. Whether she’s covered in blood or running from killers, her fear and humanity shines through just as much as her power in a way that few actresses can accomplish. The special effects team is on top of their game using practical effects and makeup to create human-like creatures that are terrifying to behold.
The film succeeds in throwing the audience into a world with little known about its people or time period, unfolding in a way that allows us to form our own ideas as to how the pieces fit together. Katz is able to blend survival horror with elements of folk horror that may not reinvent the genre but Azrael feels all its own. It becomes evident how Azrael varies from other survival/folk horrors but it never feels forced in its execution. In fact, it gives writer Simon Barrett and E. L. Katz a greater challenge to keep audiences engaged, laying out details as the film progresses that feels fluently storyboarded.
Azrael (2024) is the type of film that would not be ruined with information discovered prior to watching the film but it is even more enjoyable without any prior knowledge. As a result, E. L. Katz directorial has a terrifying cat and mouse structure that is elevated by its performances and thematic intent that makes it one of the strongest horror films this year so far.
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