Angel of Death - Starring Death Proof's Zoe Bell

Martial Arts Expert Plays a Brain-Damaged Assassin

Aug 21, 2009

Based on an original script by comics writer Ed Brubaker, Zoe Bell stars as a deadly assassin who turns on her masters after suffering a gruesome head injury.

Having made a huge impression in ‘Death Proof,’ Quentin Tarantino’s segment of the double-feature Grindhouse (2007), stuntwoman turned actress Zoe Bell gets her first leading role in Angel of Death. Bell plays Eve, an assassin under the employ of the Downes Family, an organised crime outfit. Whilst carrying out a hit Eve has a knife impaled in her head. She kills the bodyguard responsible, but also instinctively fires at another figure, the target’s 14-year old daughter.

Eve is Haunted by Visions of the Dead

Eve seeks treatment from a pill-popping Dr Rankin (Doug Jones), who in a gruesome sequence manages to remove the knife, but warns of possible complications arising from her injury. Eve begins to have hallucinations of the young girl she murdered. Believing the girl wants her to hunt down and kill those responsible for her death, Eve sets her sights on her former employers. It is up to her handler Graham (Brian Poth) to reel her in before the vicious Downes family gets a hold of her first.

Zoe Bell Proves She Can Carry a Movie

As well as excelling in the bruising fight sequences, Bell proves she can handle the emotional scenes as well. Not every straight-to-DVD action hero is capable of conveying anything other than aggression, but this bodes well for Bell’s future career. The fight sequences are well choreographed by Ron Yuan and highlight Bell’s considerable martial arts expertise, most notably in a vicious brawl in a men’s bathroom.

Angel of Death Recalls 70’s Genre Cinema

With its stylish opening titles showing Zoe Bell in a variety of assassin style situations, Angel of Death recalls the glory days of 70’s genre cinema. Thankfully the film also forgoes the modern tendency for fast editing showcasing Zoe Bell’s athleticism and fighting abilities without interruption. Paul Etheridge directs with style, often splitting the frame into different sections like a comic book. Comic writer Ed Brubaker’s lean screenplay leaves the door open for a possible sequel, though Eve may work better in a TV show than a series of DVD release movies.

As well as Zoe Bell, whose appearances in Death Proof and an episode of the TV show Lost, have won her a devoted audience, Angel of Death boasts appearances from a number of other cult favourites. Doug Jones, an actor many people may struggle to recognise given he is often wearing a costume in his work with Guillermo Del Toro, appears as a nervous, drug addict Doctor. Lucy Lawless, best known for her leading role in Xena Warrior Princess, plays Eve’s inquisitive neighbour, while her sidekick in that series Ted Raimi also cameos.

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