Azrael (2024) review – Samara Weaving Shines In This Brutal Dialogue-Free Slasher
Azrael: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A brutal, blood-soaked survival horror that succeeds more as a visceral experience than a narrative experiment. While the “no-dialogue” premise often feels like a distracting gimmick rather than a storytelling necessity, Azrael is propped up by a powerhouse physical performance from Samara Weaving. Boasting intense creature designs reminiscent of The Descent and a ruthless approach to gore, the film is a fast-paced cat-and-mouse chase through the Estonian wilderness. It lacks the psychological depth of director E.L. Katz’s previous work, but as a lean, 86-minute exercise in tension and world-building, it is a capable and entertaining Shudder Original. A solid 3-star watch for those who enjoy their horror raw and wordless.
Details: Director: E.L. Katz | Cast: Samara Weaving, Vic Carmen Sonne, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett | Runtime: 1h 26m | Release Date: 2024
Best for: Fans of survival horror, creature features, and viewers who appreciate “silent” storytelling driven by physical acting.
Worth noting: Filmed entirely in the stunning forests of Estonia, the movie utilizes its natural environment to create a sense of ancient, religious isolation.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (Rent/Buy)🛒, Shudder, Apple TV
Rating: 3/5 Stars
(Brutal gore, fantastic lead, dialogue-free gimmick)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. We are checking out another recent horror movie today. Shudder Original Azrael from September 2024. This is directed by E.L. Katz who also directed the absolutely fantastic Cheap Thrills.
Table of Contents
A very interesting concept
Acting as something of a cross between A Quiet Place and creature movies like The Descent, Azrael has virtually no dialogue in the entire movie. Following the story of a young woman, Azrael (Samara Weaving), who has recently escaped from a devout community who were attempting to sacrifice her to bizarre humanoid creatures that live in the woods, Azrael sees our protagonist trying to find her missing lover while avoiding both the murderous cult and the hideous creatures stalking her in the woods.
“Samara Weaving is utterly brilliant, there is tons of gore, some brilliantly creepy creatures and some fantastic action. What’s not to love?”
The world in which the characters in Azrael exist is one that has abandoned speech. Not all characters, of course; this seems to be a world within a world and people who aren’t part of a certain religious persuasion can speak just fine. But, for the most part, we are spending our time with characters who are completely mute.
A horror movie with no dialogue, a fairly novel idea in 2024. Well, I suppose if you are going to discount the enormous contribution that the silent movie era made to the horror genre, that is. But the big question here is: does it work? I mean, it’s not strictly speaking a silent movie. In fact, there are gunshots, grunts, creatures screaming and all kinds of other sounds. It’s quite a noisy movie, actually, so what is the point?
It’s a mere novelty
To be perfectly honest, I don’t think there is a point. Azrael comes across as something of an experiment in filmmaking and little else. The fact that the characters don’t speak feels like little more than a gimmick and one that really doesn’t add all that much to the experience.
“Azrael comes across as something of an experiment in filmmaking and little else. The fact that the characters don’t speak feels like little more than a gimmick.”
The fact that the characters can’t speak is a novelty at best, and at worst something that will prove to be a major distraction for certain viewers. Humans are creatures capable of massive amounts of communication through simple facial expressions alone. We don’t need to talk to relate things like fear, love, pain, and anger, all of which are expressed effectively by the characters here.
It’s a brilliant demonstration of acting talent but all you are left with is something that is little more than a gimmick. It’s not even that original. One of the greatest comedy characters of all time, Mr Bean, barely ever speaks and gets along just fine. We can’t forget Wallace’s loyal pooch, Gromit, either, can we?
Still, there is a pretty effective movie here. The lack of dialogue didn’t bother me at all and I really appreciated how great Samara Weaving was. She is a bit of a scream queen now, having been in The Babysitter, Ready or Not, etc., and is wildly talented. She is fantastic as our bad-ass heroine Azrael and absolute mountains of fun.
The movie, for the most part, plays out as a simple cat-and-mouse chase through the woods complete with all the tension and suspense you might expect. There’s plenty of action, some appreciable moments of horror, and some fantastic gore.
Great creature design
I loved the creatures in Azrael. They are somewhere between ambling zombies and the terrifying humanoid things in The Descent. The creatures have a massive lust for blood and move rather clumsily until they get a whiff of the claret, then it is off to the races. They rip heads off of people, pull out veins and drink straight from bloody stumps. It’s brutal stuff and works tremendously well for horror.
“They rip heads off of people, pull out veins and drink straight from bloody stumps. It’s brutal stuff and works tremendously well for horror.”
It helps that there are tons of them in the woods, as well, meaning Azrael is never too far from impending doom. The story here is fairly light on the ground. It’s based around religious prophecy but also throws in aspects of revenge thrillers and suspense horror. The horror does take a primary focus, though. There are some scary moments that will have you peeking around your pillow wondering what’s about to jump out from the trees.
There is also a lot of walking through endless woods in complete silence that isn’t going to land too well for some viewers. Azrael speeds through at only 86 minutes but the mixed pacing can leave a few scenes dragging their heels a bit. I wasn’t overly impressed by the cinematography. I felt like a lot more could have been done with these woods and I wasn’t a fan of the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. To be honest, I would have loved to see a 1.66:1 ratio here. That would have looked gorgeous with the stunning Estonian forests, but it is what it is.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Samara Weaving: Weaving is incredible, delivering a masterclass in physical acting. Her ability to convey complex emotions without a single word is the film’s greatest asset.
- Gory Practical Effects: The film doesn’t shy away from the red stuff. The kills are visceral, messy, and sure to satisfy fans of splatter-heavy horror.
- Creature Design: The “burnt” humanoid creatures are genuinely unsettling and provide a formidable, terrifying threat throughout the chase.
The Bad
- Gimmicky Premise: The lack of dialogue often feels forced and unnecessary, ultimately adding very little to the overall narrative or tension.
- Thin Story: Beyond the basic “escape and survive” premise, the religious lore and world-building feel a bit underdeveloped and shallow.
- Mixed Pacing: Despite the short runtime, certain sequences of silent forest wandering can feel a bit sluggish and repetitive.
The Ugly: The Blood Feasts. The scenes involving the creatures feeding are particularly stomach-churning, showcasing a primal, animalistic brutality that is hard to watch.
Should You Watch Azrael?
Yes, absolutely. It is a solid 3-star horror experience that proves Samara Weaving can lead a film without saying a word. It’s a gory, action-packed adventure through the woods that works despite its own narrative restrictions.
You might also like:
- Red Rooms (2023) review – A patient and cold exploration of hybristophilia and the Dark Web
- Lexi (2022) Review – A Raw and Effective Stalker Mockumentary
- Ghostwatch (1992) review – The Groundbreaking BBC Hoax That Terrified A Nation
- Initiation (2021) Review – A Failed Attempt at a Socially Conscious Slasher
- Relic (2020) Review – A Melancholic and Metaphorical Study of Decay
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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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