Angel Of Death (2009)

Rating: **
Review Date: 5/5/19
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Cast: Zoë Bell, Doug Jones, Lucy Lawless, cameos by Ted Raimi, James Lew

Eve (Zoë Bell) is one of the best assassins in the business, but a traumatic head wound causes her to become haunted by an innocent victim from her last assignment. In an attempt to make the spirit go away, she decides to take out an entire crime organization single-handedly. Not surprisingly, as the bodies pile up she makes a lot of enemies, and her boss/lover is desperate to find her and escape the country before they both end up dead.

This movie was originally broadcast as a web series, and broken into ten episodes that varied from 6-9 minutes long. It's hard to believe that was ever a viable business model, and I can't even imagine trying to watch a movie that way. As a result, the overall package has an odd rhythm that doesn't quite work. The story is serviceable, but easily forgettable, and the main purpose of the movie is to serve as an action showcase for stunt woman Zoë Bell. The fight scenes are surprisingly good for a low budget production, as Zoë and the various actors perform their own hard-hitting stunts. The action is raw and grounded, and the shots tend to be much longer and more stable than typical domestic fare, which is something I appreciate a lot. Zoë looks fantastic in action and she doesn't pull her punches. Her physique is fabulous and her moves are solid, fast, and fluid. Unfortunately, the writing is weak, the characters aren't interesting or likable, and the acting isn't particularly engaging. But I think the show acknowledges that and consciously focuses on delivering solid action rather than a solid narrative.