Gabriel

Review:

The movie was great. But the ending was not pretty good cause I don’t like tragic endings. It makes me feel sad.

Summary:

Since the beginning of time, heaven and hell have fought over purgatory and the souls trapped inside it. Each side has sent seven warriors: Arc angels from heaven, Fallen angels from hell. They must assume human form to enter purgatory. Hell has attained control, transforming purgatory into a dark, seedy city. The last Arc, Gabriel (Andy Whitfield), endeavours to discover what has become of his comrades and to restore the Light.

Upon entering purgatory, Gabriel first visits the Arc angel Michael’s apartment, finding it abandoned. Meanwhile, four of the seven Fallen—Sammael (Dwaine Stevenson), AsmodeusBalan (Brendan Clearkin), and Baliel—gather and Sammael kills an insubordinate Baliel, so reducing the Fallen’s number from seven to six. While walking through the city, Gabriel receives a vision about the whereabouts of his comrade Uriel (Harry Pavlidis). However, the leader of the Fallen, Sammael, senses Gabriel’s presence and sends the Fallen Molloch (Goran D. Kleut) to kill him. Gabriel fights and kills Molloch, then proceeds to the city’s outskirts. He finds a dishevelled and alcoholic Uriel hiding in a rundown bus. Uriel explains that the Fallen can sense Arcs when they use their powers, and teaches Gabriel to conceal his bright blue angel eyes. He also reluctantly tells Gabriel what happened to some of the other five Arcs: Remiel was killed before Uriel arrived; and Amitiel (Samantha Noble), who now calls herself Jade, was defeated by Sammael, stripped of her wings, and forced to work as a prostitute; the whereabouts of Ithuriel (Matt Hylton Todd), Raphael (Jack Campbell), and Michael are uncertain, but Raphael is most likely hiding in the East Side of the city and it is thought that Sammael has killed Michael. (Michael Piccirilli),

Gabriel travels back to the city, and finds the brothel where Amitiel works. He also encounters Asmodeus, the Fallen who runs the brothel. Gabriel rescues Amitiel and kills the Fallen Balan who tries to rape her. He then heals her of the drugs she has been taking to dull the pain of her job. Amitiel takes Gabriel to the soup kitchen where the Arc angel Ithuriel hides. Initially angry at Ithuriel for abandoning his mission, Gabriel eventually shows him compassion and understanding. Ithuriel takes Gabriel to the abandoned tunnels beneath the soup kitchen where the gravely wounded Raphael dwells. Gabriel heals Raphael, expending much of his strength. After rebuking Gabriel, Raphael explains that Sammael draws his immense power from the other Fallen. Gabriel proposes to take out the remaining Fallen one by one, before finally facing Sammael. Raphael is unconvinced, as Sammael has already killed the stronger angel Michael.

Gabriel fights and kills the Fallen Ahriman (Kevin Copeland), then returns to Michael’s apartment where he sketches a picture of Amitiel. In retaliation to Ahriman’s death, the Fallen Lilith (Erika Heynatz) kills Uriel, Asmodeus kills Ithuriel, and Sammael kills Raphael. Driven mad by anger, Gabriel’s eyes turn bright brown, the colour of the Fallen. He returns to the brothel and viciously kills Asmodeus. Amitiel comforts Gabriel and they make love. Gabriel then travels to a nightclub and kills Lilith, injecting her with several full vials of Ahriman’s drugs. Gabriel chases Sammael to the nightclub’s rooftop.

Sammael refuses to fight Gabriel, instead asking him to listen to what he has to say. He explains how he despises being an angel, a being created entirely to serve others. He sees purgatory as a chance to take control of his own destiny, and asks Gabriel to join him. Refusing his offer, Gabriel unwillingly realises that Sammael is actually the Arc angel Michael, his closest friend. Apparently, Michael had killed the Fallen Sammael and assumed Sammael’s identity. The two angels fight, but because Gabriel has used up so much of his strength helping the other Arcs, Michael has the advantage. Michael ultimately impales Gabriel’s chest with a metal pipe. Gabriel admits that during his time as a human he has felt rage and anger, but he has also felt other positive emotions that Michael hasn’t. Gabriel embraces Michael, which drives the metal pipe through Michael’s chest, and tells Michael that he forgives him. Both angels collapse. Michael uses the last of his strength to heal Gabriel’s wound, then dies. Light returns to purgatory.

Kneeling in front of Michael’s dead body, Gabriel shouts at God asking Him whether this is what He wanted. The healed Gabriel moves to the edge of the rooftop, and muses that he needs to understand why all this happened. He outstretches his arms, and lets himself fall. His final words are, “Forgive me.” A post-credits scene shows Gabriel, (wearing different clothing, minus tattoo and has the eyes of a Fallen), joining Jade and smiling.