Today’s quick review: Gabriel. Gabriel (Andy Whitfield), the last of the archangels, descends into Purgatory to free it from the Fallen, seven fallen angels who have laid claim to the souls trapped there. Burdened by the darkness of the city and the limitations of his mortal form, Gabriel begins to hunt down the Fallen one by one. But to reclaim the city, he must find a way to defeat Sammael (Dwaine Stevenson), the powerful leader of the Fallen.
Gabriel is a dark fantasy movie with noir influences. Set in a bleak cityscape, Gabriel aims to be a gritty, modern take on the battle between good and evil. To its credit, the movie has all the ingredients it needs to make this happen: an oppressive atmosphere, a determined hero, and a situation where his faith could turn the tide of a losing battle. Unfortunately, the movie’s execution leaves much to be desired, rending it an unsatisfying watch.
Gabriel runs into a few issues that keep it from ever gaining traction. Cheap special effects and poor fight choreography rob the action scenes of their impact. The story has a few interesting conflicts as Gabriel finds out what happened to his brethren, but there isn’t enough depth or character development to make them work. Finally, overactive direction and flaky acting undermine the sense of atmosphere the movie tries to build up.
Gabriel is a movie with a lot of missed potential. Fans of urban fantasy and the dark, action-oriented side of the genre will appreciate what the movie is trying to do. Its ideas are not groundbreaking, but they could have formed the basis for an enjoyable popcorn flick. But as it stands, Gabriel does not have the skill or the budget it needs to bring its vision to life. Those interested in the premise would be better off looking elsewhere.
For a dark fantasy movie with a similar cosmology and more distinctive characters, try Ghost Rider or Constantine. For a dark sci-fi action movie in a similar vein, check out the Blade or Underworld series. For a surreal science fiction movie with a brooding atmosphere and a better sense of mystery, try Dark City.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for a decent premise with lackluster execution.