Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel (2017): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2017, Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel is a fantasy and music film directed by Gary Halvorson, running about 142 minutes.

What it’s about. After the acclaimed Met premiere of Thomas Adès's "The Tempest" in 2012, the composer returned with another masterpiece, this time inspired by filmmaker Luis Buñuel's seminal surrealist classic "El Ángel Exterminador", during the 2017–18 season. As the opera opens, a group of elegant socialites gather for a lavish dinner party, but when it is time to leave for the night, no one is able to escape. Soon, their behavior becomes increasingly erratic and savage. The large ensemble cast tackles both the vocal and dramatic demands of Adès's opera with one riveting performance after another. Tom Cairns, who also penned the work's libretto, directs an engrossing and inventive production, using a towering wooden archway to trap the characters onstage. And Adès himself takes the podium to conduct the frenzied score, which features a host of unconventional instruments, including the eerie electronic ondes Martenot.

Who’s in it. Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel stars Joseph Kaiser as Edmundo de Nobile, Amanda Echalaz as Lucía de Nobile, Audrey Luna as Leticia Maynar and Alice Coote as Leonora Palma, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.7/10, Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel page.

If you liked it. Fans of Thomas Adès: The Exterminating Angel tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.