These days, when the reality outside is turbulent and everyone is looking for a moment of silence, the last thing we need is more things to argue about. However, here 11 is not ready to remain silent and takes a risk with the new series “Destroying Angel”, whose potential for success is indeed high, but the possibility that it will cause a huge storm and awaken issues that have been silenced for a long time is even higher. This, especially because she deals with the less flattering side of the religious community in Israel.
When I first heard about Kaan 11’s new horror drama series, “Destroying Angel,” I prayed that it wouldn’t be one of those absurd jumpscars-filled horror series where the only thing scary is that they gave such ridiculous series screen time. Also, when I heard that the series talks about the ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem – for a moment I lost hope. I am? It will never interest me. But then the moment passed, and from the beginning of the episode, my eyes did not leave the screen, and no, this time not only because of Tom Avni.
Tom Avni in “Destroying Angel” (photo: Courtesy of Kaan 11, Anani Studio, A+E Studio)
Against the background of concerns about another ridiculous horror series, Noah Stolman (Fauda, The Boys, Tamrat Eshan, etc.) together with Oded Davidov (Missing Case, Tamrat Eshan, etc.) and Abigail Ben Dor Niv proved their genius once again, and presented the Public Broadcasting Corporation with a masterpiece in the form of a sophisticated horror series, that keeps the viewers upright and captivated by the screen.
At the center of the series, produced by me by Studio Anani in collaboration with A+E Studios, is a murderous demon who sows disaster and destruction in the Hasidic community in modern-day Jerusalem. Already in the first episode we are introduced to the fact that even a world that looks very quiet and calm from the outside – hides and keeps many things secret, even without a demon roaming around the community.
Already throughout the episode we get to know the (warning – spoiler expected) pair of future demon hunters, Malki Price (Lee Oz Levy) – an ultra-orthodox psychologist and Baer (Tom Avni) – a physicist and an avowed secularist, who join together, reluctantly, to decipher the secret of the appearance of The evil demon. Their investigation will lead them into the intricacies of Hasidic mysticism, examine the foundations of Malachi’s faith and Baer’s rationalism, and confront them with unimaginable evil, oh – and with the devil.
A destroying angel (photo: Courtesy of Kaan 11, Anani Studio, A+E Studio)
The series uses the suspense and supernatural genre to explore fears of sexuality and masculinity within a religious community, as well as the ongoing battle between religion and modernity. Pure and holy places become hell on earth, psychotic looks clearly explain the coming of the malicious demon and how not, like in any successful horror movie – one short children’s song that becomes scary from moment to moment along with precise tense music.
And that’s not all – the spectacular cast of the series, made up of beloved actors and a number of new faces, only contributes to the potential. Among the participants are Tom Avni, Lee Oz Levy, Hisham Suleiman, Der Zozovsky, Esti Zakheim, Lir Katz, Maya Wertheimer, Dorit Lev Ari, Alex Zilberg, Diana Golbi and many others.
As expected, after connecting with the working souls and even choosing our favorite character so far, the end of the first episode reminds us that the demon is still here, just in case we forgot, with another bloody death event.
There are those who will consider what is happening in Israel as a horror movie and the current government as its creators. However, the series, which unexpectedly and at a perhaps not so calculated risk decided to deal with the less flattering side of the ultra-orthodox community and raises critical questions about the conduct of its members, raises many questions for us and reveals to us, especially in such a turbulent time, that in each of us there is a demon hidden that could break out at any moment.
If you haven’t watched it yet, it’s time to disconnect from everything, pick up the remote and turn on the TV. Because if the series fulfills the huge potential it has, it may yet wake up the horror genre that has been dormant for many years in Israel, and that is exactly what we all need. Let’s conclude with the famous sentence that the singer Dodo Tesa said many times and describes my experience after watching the first episode: “I won’t lie down to sleep tonight.”
The series “Destroying Angel” will be broadcast from March 26 on Kan 11, on Sundays, at 10:15 p.m. At the same time, all episodes of the series will be uploaded here BOX.