Savage is a crime drama film directed by Sam Kelly. The film follows the story of Damage (Jack Ryan), at three different points in his life as an enforcer for a New Zealand biker gang.
This is not like most of the crime films that you see that regardless of ending, glamorise the life of violence and excess and almost become works of romantic fantasy by the end. No, this is a film about desperate people with nowhere else to turn forced into a cycle of violence as a means of dealing with the abuse they have endured.
As a character study this film is exquisite, we see Damage as so much more than a rough tough biker type and we see why he is the way he is. The film raises a number of interesting philosophical and moral questions as well, which leaves you with plenty to think about once the film is over.
Ryan is terrific in his performance. He plays the character as a deeply troubled man who has turned to violence as a means to fit in and be accepted. The character and the performance are the very definition of the word nuanced, and despite the character doing a lot of deeply unlikeable things Ryan still makes him sympathetic.
Overall, this is a very strong drama film that will break your heart. It is definitely not the typical form of crime film either. Bear in mind that this film is incredibly depressing and should not be watched without having a happy animal video on stand by to cheer you up once the depression sets in after the film.
Pros.
It is powerful
It leaves you with a lot to think about
It deviates from the standard crime drama film
Cons.
It is very bleak
It is often hard to tell what is happening when with the later timelines
3/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 