This first review is of british horror flick SALVAGE...
When it comes to low budget horror, us Brits do it well. Films like The Dead Outside, The Children, Creep, Outpost Etc...proves that we can use a story to warrent the gore, we don't just throw a load blood at the screen and hope it makes people take notice, we do it low-key, shot on DV with scripts that at times can be an accurate portrayal of british people.
Salvage is one of these, a cross between Mike Leigh, George Romero and Jeremy Kyle.
Salvage takes an ordinary british Cul-de-sac (Brookside Close) and introduces us straight away to a girl who is going to stay with her morther over christmas due to her parents being split. So far so Mike Leigh, then after an argument between mother and daughter the mother is struck by a special ops soldier, more soldiers appear and seem to be there for something. Minimal Location, use of isolation, very Romero.
The Jeremy Kyle reference (dysfunctional british family) is due to the mother and daughter relationship and how we are introduced to the mother through seeing her having sex with a man within the first 10mins. The man is introduced as the second lead of the film. I don't want to give to much plot away as it may spoil it.
The Acting is superb. Neve McIntosh give an oustanding realistic performance as Beth, the mother and the film is really about her trying to get over the road to find out if her daughter is safe. It's her sheer determination to do this that makes her performance stand out. Shaun Dooley (Eden Lake) who plays the male lead also give a great performance as a man convinced they're under attack from Al-Quiaeda and eventually becomes a sort of Proto-Hero.
It's the great script that brings out these performances and some of the spec ops talk seems to be pretty realistic. The F/X are great and are practical instead of CGI and the monster looks pretty ****ed up. The direction is very good, im guessing it was shot on DV with a 35mm lense to give it that film like look. Night shots are well lit with help from street lights, a the isolated locations are used to an advantage giving these scenes a very tense atmosphere,
It's great to see the UK turning out good horror flicks and this is no exception, it's tense, creepy, well written, directed and acted by all involved and i for one would like to continue supporting new UK horror talent.
Salvage is one of these, a cross between Mike Leigh, George Romero and Jeremy Kyle.
Salvage takes an ordinary british Cul-de-sac (Brookside Close) and introduces us straight away to a girl who is going to stay with her morther over christmas due to her parents being split. So far so Mike Leigh, then after an argument between mother and daughter the mother is struck by a special ops soldier, more soldiers appear and seem to be there for something. Minimal Location, use of isolation, very Romero.
The Jeremy Kyle reference (dysfunctional british family) is due to the mother and daughter relationship and how we are introduced to the mother through seeing her having sex with a man within the first 10mins. The man is introduced as the second lead of the film. I don't want to give to much plot away as it may spoil it.
The Acting is superb. Neve McIntosh give an oustanding realistic performance as Beth, the mother and the film is really about her trying to get over the road to find out if her daughter is safe. It's her sheer determination to do this that makes her performance stand out. Shaun Dooley (Eden Lake) who plays the male lead also give a great performance as a man convinced they're under attack from Al-Quiaeda and eventually becomes a sort of Proto-Hero.
It's the great script that brings out these performances and some of the spec ops talk seems to be pretty realistic. The F/X are great and are practical instead of CGI and the monster looks pretty ****ed up. The direction is very good, im guessing it was shot on DV with a 35mm lense to give it that film like look. Night shots are well lit with help from street lights, a the isolated locations are used to an advantage giving these scenes a very tense atmosphere,
It's great to see the UK turning out good horror flicks and this is no exception, it's tense, creepy, well written, directed and acted by all involved and i for one would like to continue supporting new UK horror talent.
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