Angels Fallen (2020)

Directed by: Ali Zamani | 86 minutes | horror | Actors: Nicola Posener, Houston Rhines, Michael Teh, Li Jing, Michael Madsen, William Legue, Caroline Amiguet, Eric Roberts, Lee Kholafai, Ivica Dimitrijevic, Tommy Nash, Kamka Tocinovski

Biblical stories continue to appeal to the imagination. The battle between good and evil is intriguing (and manageable). No wonder directors still eagerly draw inspiration from this religious tome. Ali Zamani also leafed through the thick printed matter and decided to distil a film from it. Has this resulted in a heavenly masterpiece or a hellish misfire?

‘Angels Fallen’ revolves around Archangel Gabriel. This man (with celestial body?) is having a hard time because he lost his wife while fighting against dark forces. Finally, his old teammates manage to re-enlist Gabriel and collectively fight demons again. This battle is being waged in Europe. During his struggle, our hero discovers that he must let go of the past in order to be truly free. It also becomes clear to him who his real friends are and who cannot be trusted.

Zamani wanted to make an exciting movie about demons and angels, but unfortunately he didn’t succeed. A meager budget and an untalented cast contribute to this. ‘Angels Fallen’ is a downright dull and dull film in which a lot is talked about demons but little else happens. The wooden acting and the uncreative camera setups (which are focused on one point) ensure that you are watching an 86-minute soap opera. A soap without appealing characters or strong cliffhangers.

Most of the money went into the DVD cover (and Eric’s cameo ‘as long as I get money for it, I’m in everything’ Roberts). The special effects don’t make any impression and neither does the build-up of tension (read: loud noises for a shock effect). What remains is an amateurish spectacle that only the family of all involved would want to watch. If you’re looking for an exciting, well-acted film about biblical characters, ‘Angels Fallen’ is the right place for you. Or yes, maybe not. This 86-minute trip feels like a descent to hell at times. At some point you long for a trident in your eye so you don’t have to sit out this B-movie.