DVD - Gabriel
Mon 14 April 2008
Jacqueline Smith, Journalism
Gabriel is a post-apocalyptic, fantasy film written, produced and directed by rising Australian stars Shane Abbess and Matt Hylton Todd.
The film is set in a dark, bleak city, which is the worldly representation of Purgatory. There are seven Fallens and seven Arcs fighting to win the souls of the humans trapped in this desolate city. The Fallen are soldiers of the dark and the Arcs are protectors of the light. Gabriel, the last Arc, has been sent down to save the city - he is the last hope for humanity.
The production values are impressive considering the limited resources available to the filmmakers. The Abbess/Todd team has produced magic on the almost non-existent budget within a very short timeframe. Their drive and expertise could be compared with that of George Miller and Byron Kennedy’s production of the original Mad Max film.
The excellent cast is mostly Australian with Andy Whitfield masterfully portraying Gabriel, the messianic anti-hero. Whitfield’s Gabriel is reminiscent of Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings - strong, sensitive, bloody-minded and gorgeous.
If you are a fan of fantasy films or the Australian film industry make the effort and rent this DVD. These films that break new ground must be supported to ensure the viability and diversity of the Australian filmmaking industry.
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