Capsule reviews for Sept. 27

Azrael

With atmosphere overwhelming plot, this survival thriller generates some visceral chills but its narrative momentum wavers, and the result feels more gimmicky than substantial. In a post-apocalyptic world where all survivors have been rendered mute, Azrael (Samara Weaving) is forced to be both resilient and resourceful as she is chased by members of a woodland cult, after escaping their initial attempts to sacrifice her as part of a spiritual ritual. Driven by revenge, the intense cat-and-mouse odyssey funnels toward a bloody final showdown. The expressive Weaving (Ready or Not) gives Azrael more depth than her thinly sketched adversaries, whose motives are never fully defined. (Rated R, 86 minutes).

Haunted Heart

Formulaic as a drama and lethargic as a thriller, this romantic noir from Spanish director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque) only occasionally sparks to life. It chronicles a young waitress (Aida Folch) at a seaside restaurant on a remote Greek island, where she falls for the manager (Matt Dillon), an American looking to escape a turbulent past. As their relationship gradually deepens, secrets emerge that reveal his true motives and put her survival in jeopardy. Despite solid performances, the atmospheric film is more effective at recalling genre influences than yielding much tension or intrigue of its own. But at least the exotic backdrop is visually appealing. (Not rated, 128 minutes).

Killer Heat

It must have been the sun-drenched exotic locales that attracted a strong cast to this lackluster noir-infused thriller, because it certainly couldn’t have been the derivative screenplay, adapted from a Jo Nesbo novel. It’s set on a Greek island, where a local American expat (Shailene Woodley) recruits enigmatic private detective Nick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to investigate the mysterious death of her brother-in-law (Richard Madden) in a climbing accident. As he infiltrates the affluent family that includes a jealous twin brother, Nick confronts his own troubled past. Between the thin characters, mediocre suspense, and uninspired twists, there’s not much incentive for emotional investment in the outcome. (Rated R, 96 minutes).

My Old Ass

Although narrative gimmicks water down the emotional impact, this delightfully quirky coming-of-age saga provides an irreverently witty mix of laughs and heart. Elliott (Maisy Stella) is a mischievous teenager who, while hallucinating on mushrooms, opens a portal into her own future and meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Their rapport gives her a new perspective on family, plus the allure of a local boy (Percy Hynes White) who conjures romantic sparks. The screenplay by director Megan Park (The Fallout) is a thoughtful exploration of generational quirks and adolescent impulsiveness, combined with a playful wish-fulfillment fantasy about how a window into the future impacts the present. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

Sleep

Emphasizing character-driven suspense over effects-laden supernatural tropes, this South Korean thriller has more than enough clever twists to keep you from nodding off. It follows a pregnant woman (Kim Gook Hee) who becomes concerned when her actor husband (Lee Sun-kyun) begins sleepwalking and exhibiting other erratic behavior. With doctors baffled and the baby’s arrival imminent, she begins indulging in conspiracy theories — is a downstairs neighbor or a ghost to blame? — before descending into a nightmarish spiral of her own. Despite indulging in some narrative silliness, the screenplay by rookie director Jason Yu sprinkles dark comedy into the frightful proceedings while still ratcheting up the unsettling tension. (Not rated, 95 minutes).