In MGM’s new DVD release of “Angel of Death”, things are not going well in the small town of Seville, Spain. It is the time of a religious festival known as Holy Week, and a brutal killer is on the loose. Local detective Quemada (Olivier Martinez) finds himself teamed up with a visiting detective (Mira Sorvino) to try and track down him, her… or it… down. You see, it appears these killings have been going on for a long time, longer than the life span of a normal man. “Angel of Death” was originally released back in 2002, under the title “Semana Santa.” It is only now getting ready to capture the attention of horror film fans here in the States through its imminent release on DVD. Whether or not it will do well is admittedly a mixed bag. Like most European thrillers, it is the style that takes precedence over the substance. It is an interesting film to watch because of the visual nuances director Pepe Danquart brings to the table.

Then there is the matter of the brutality of the crimes, as we are faced with scenes of the rape of a young girl as well as some fairly gruesome deaths. And while the film may not be quite a bloody as some others from the region, it will certainly still make you squirm.

The scene of the rape is especially disturbing. Both from the standpoint of the way it was filmed, to the sheer ugliness of it and the fact that the victim is young girl. You would probably (and understandably) be hard-pressed to find a scene like this in a any American film outside of the Independent market.

Where the film fails, at least for American audiences, it is in the cohesiveness of the storyline. What starts out a fairly straightforward thriller, soon becomes the victim of odd red herrings, glaring plot holes, and some questionable editing. Where more intelligent audiences might be able to follow along and catch everything, your typical moviegoer (or DVD watcher as the case may be) will unquestionably become lost.

What does work in this film mostly comes from the aforementioned style. Danquart does a great job of creating a very creepy atmosphere with sound and light. Most of the visuals will affect you, even if you’re not quite up to speed on what is going on.

Considering the film’s origin, and the fact that there was little question that American audiences might not understand it all, it would have been nice if the DVD release had not been a bare bones affair. Some interviews, or even a commentary might have cleared up some of the questions that would invariably come up for most viewers.

Directed by: Pepe Danquart
Starring: Mira Sorvino, Olivier Martinez, Feodor Atkine, Luis Lopez Tosar, Jorge Bosch
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen (1.78:1) Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 1/18/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (Strong Violence, Including a Sexual Assault and Language)
Website

We'll give Angel of Death a C-.