(ESP-ENG) Azrael - Movie Review! [Spooky Season]
Hello friends, good vibes to all.
When we decide to watch a movie, whatever genre it is, we usually focus on the mainstream ones, on the big titles with the big name actors and that's fine and completely valid but sometimes it's nice to take a walk through some titles that don't get 5% of the hype they should and end up being pretty good and decent films. Azrael is one of those coincidences that I came across just looking for something to watch. A film with Estonian roots, completely silent and with a lot of horror, violence and gore on its shoulders, much more than I expected, which surprised me for the better.
We are located in the depths of a forest of who knows where but by the origin of the film we will say that Estonia. A young woman manages to escape from a community which had her imprisoned or in captivity, this group of people is the closest thing to a cult as everything seems to indicate that they pray to an ancient evil, a demon which has many years in these lands. The goal they had with this woman was to sacrifice her to quench the thirst of this entity (a demon that does not ask for a sacrifice is not a demon) but she tired of all that decides to flee and is now alone in the vastness of the forest.
The interesting thing is that she thinks she is alone but no, in the surroundings there are some creatures which are not clear to me what they are but it seems a kind of humanized demons and for a change they are burned and feed on human blood. They control the forest so our Azrael will have to defend herself against them and the members of this community who are looking for her to recapture her. This is the whole movie, a constant chase, a game of hide and seek that in the end ends in a direct confrontation. Now, everything that happens in the middle is full of a very affiliated tension, there are moments when that feeling goes beyond the screen.
As I said in the beginning this is a movie where not a single word is uttered, this is because for these people speech is a sin so it seems they have no tongues or vocal cords. This makes the vibe a little more desperate, having the ability to express and convey emotions only with gestures and facial expressions is very complicated and makes the experience more distressing. Despite this the plot is always moving, as there is no dialogue there is not so much room for time wasting. Personally I never got bored, it is a very complete film as far as ways to die is concerned, I think they sought to compensate and thus attract more people to call their attention.
Visually it is very well done, I repeat, the gore is spectacular, the amounts of blood that are handled are great, there are shots, fights and blows, decapitations, dismemberments and see how these creatures devour the flesh directly from the body of people is a plus to consider. I liked some scenes, shots and although the location is always the same, those forests are perfect for this kind of films, they fill the story with mystery and intrigue. In the background there is an entrenched violence that makes these people act like this, I think blind faith and devotion without limits can be very dangerous.
As for the characters, let's talk about the main character, Samara Weaving who is not a rookie in this, she has appeared in other horror movies and in several other titles. For me she was perfect, the level of fear, desperation, revenge and resilience that she injected to the character are epic to the point that she didn't need to say a word to understand what she was going through and feeling. The other characters are secondary but all in the same tune, being very expressive according to their role in the plot.
A film that without being well known surprised me a lot, for me a very good horror film, with all the necessary elements to make it entertaining and worth seeing. If you like the genre and enjoy that everything is so graphic and explicit then it is for you. Another good thing is that it lasts less than an hour and a half, about 1:20. I give it a 7.5/10. I'll leave the trailer here.
¡Un abrazo a todos, nos vemos en la próxima!
Well my people that's all for today, I hope you liked it.
¡A hug to everyone, see you next time!
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Azrael sounds like a unique and intense experience, especially with its silent storytelling and eerie atmosphere. I love how you described the film's use of facial expressions and gestures to convey emotion—it must add so much to the suspense and horror. And Samara Weaving sounds perfect for the role, bringing depth without needing words. Thank you for sharing this hidden gem—definitely adding it to my spooky season watchlist!