ReelBob: ‘Lost Angel’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

“Lost Angel” is a conspiracy thriller wrapped in a shroud of grief with a side of supernatural elements.

And, somehow, director Simon Drake, who cowrote the script with Louise Hume, makes it all work and flow.

Lisa (Sascha Harman) returns to the island town of Newpoint after the mysterious death of her sister, Melanie.

Everyone tells Lisa that her sister’s death was a suicide but, despite everyone suggesting she simply move on, Lisa begins investigating — not believing her sister would take her own life.

She is aided by Rich (Finstan Shevlin), a young man she meets at her new job, cleaning in a local museum. Rich, who originally is from Belgium, has a secret of his own — which Lisa soon discovers.

As Lisa continues digging into Melanie’s death, she begins to unravel a web of silence and evasion.

A heavy sinister air hangs over “Lost Angel.” As the film progresses, you, like Lisa, don’t know who to believe or trust.

Eventually, Lisa uncovers a plot to sell and ship defective drugs — which were supposed to have been destroyed at a local incineration plant — to third world countries.

At about 90 minutes, Drake keeps the plot moving at a nice pace; one that you can keep abreast without falling behind.

Drake mixes some nice point-of-view shots with a few montage sequences — the most interesting features Lisa looking at books about ghosts and spirits — as he meticulously peels away the layers of mystery.

Harman conveys Lisa’s grief and determination to do right by her sister, while Shevlin is a comforting spirit for the young woman while dealing with his own issues about loss.

The movie’s settings are rather desolate and sparse; a pall hangs over the film as Drake creates a disquiet atmosphere that keeps you at ease until the very end.

“Lost Angel” works because it rarely strays from what is sets out to do. It an intelligent and compelling thriller that makes you want to see more of what Drake can accomplish.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

LOST ANGEL
3 stars out of 4
Not rated, violence, language