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"The notion of the archangel as action hero is the premise of Gabriel, the first feature from the young Australian director
Shane Abbess. It's a decent premise and with his brooding good looks Whitfield certainly looks the part, even if he sometimes
struggles to convey the character's nuances. Abbess drops him into Purgatory, a gothic, post-apocalyptic world. The kind of
low-budget movie that only exists because of the ingenuity, passion and goodwill of everyone involved, has its good points." Richard Jinman SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "Andy Whitfield stars as Gabriel, an Archangel, one of seven sent by The Light to save souls trapped in Purgatory. The atmosphere is deliberately dank and gloomy, with key scenes unfolding in back alleys, soup kitchens or rain-soaked rooftops." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "I think this happens to have an amazingly interesting look and sound to the soundtrack as well. I just thought it's a very interesting new look for an Australian film and I think I've not seen any of those actors before. I think they do a really good job." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "Technically accomplished and visually arresting with a strong bid for commercial acceptance, Gabriel defies its minimal budget to deliver an exciting, supersized audio visual experience. The audacious screenplay takes as its starting point the eternal battle between light & dark as metaphors for good and evil." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE |
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"Set in an unnamed city (where the sun doesn't shine, people don't have cars and everybody seems to be on drugs or homeless;
heck it is set here, in Melbourne!) Gabriel pits the archangel of the same name (played by Andy Whitfield) against the forces
of evil (led by first-time actor Dwaine Stevenson), who have assumed control of the Earthly world. Unlike other movie
archangels who have floated down to walk among us mere mortals (such as John Travolta's beer guzzling Michael), Gabriel comes
equipped with high-calibre firearms and a desire to wreak vengeance on the wicked." Chris Bartlett QLD SUNDAY MAIL "Director Shane Abbess ran out of money during the making of Gabriel, his good-looking, self-financed Gothic action flick. To make ends meet, he took a day job at a Sydney call centre, editing the film at night. Gabriel's production values belie its humble, low-budget origins. Abbess and his team have pulled off an impressive feat with Gabriel, successfully conjuring up a distinctive and memorable fantasy world from the smell of an oily rag." Vicky Roach ADELAIDE NOW "Filmmakers have been urged for years now to look beyond the home audience and pitch for international numbers, and Abbess has heeded the call. The experienced short filmmaker and music video veteran and his co-writer, musician Matt Hylton Todd, have shunned familiar material and developed what Abbess describes as a "poetic action movie". Fans of Gothic thrillers such as Alex Proyas's breakthrough The Crow (also filmed in Sydney) should enjoy the result. There's nothing particularly novel about either his story or his treatment of the good vs evil plot that's a staple of the Gothic thriller genre (complete with another hurtling bullet shot as introduced in The Matrix), but this certainly works as engaging entertainment." Des Partridge BRISBANE COURIER MAIL |
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The war between Heaven and Hell has raged since the beginning of time. The Light’s chief protectors, the seven Arc Angels, have all but disappeared in the battle to save the souls trapped in Purgatory: all except Gabriel. As The Light’s last hope for glory, Gabriel begins his quest to finally put an end to the war and find his fellow Arcs, but it is his more personal journey through the beauty and depravity of human emotions that tests Gabriel’s inner strength. Assuming a human body for the first time, Gabriel will struggle with his determination to bring back The Light to this dark place when he becomes involved in the story of Jade, a beautiful hooker who shows him the redeeming power of love. Gabriel’s quest brings him to a final showdown with the ruler of Purgatory, Sammael, but will his love for Jade break his convictions? Gabriel is an exploration of the depths of human emotion. It shows the human condition as frail and strong, as corruptible and honourable but always undeniably powerful and precious. |
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Andy Whitfield Dwaine Stevenson Samantha Noble Erika Heynatz Michael Piccirilli Harry Pavlidis Jack Campbell Kevin Copeland Brendan Clearkin Matt Hylton Todd Valentino del Toro Goran D Kleut Amy Mathews Christian Clark Johan Earl Amber Gokken Denai Gracie Az Jackson Aaron Scully Paul Winchester |
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Gabriel Sammael Jade Lilith Asmodeus Uriel Raphael Ahriman Balan Ithuriel Baliel Molloch Maggie Sean Clay Krianna Leather Girl Paddich Xander Marcus |