A former opioid addict, after his beloved fiancé was killed by tainted heroin, goes on a bloody rampage. It is a film that wastes the talents of its cast which includes such venerated Hollywood stars as Robert De Niro, Jack Huston and John Malkovich who were lumbering in their attempts at Southern accents to portray backwoods Georgia residents for whom they too are unconvincing in terms of an ordinary story line with a jarring music. For me, the latter one was even worse than the film’s slow rhythm. The only positive thing that can be said of Savage Salvation is that it does address the overdose epidemic plaguing America’s cities as opposed to being an emotional mess mixed with violence.
Elvis (Swen Temmel), a drug dealer wearing cornrows and basketball jersey, screams as he is shot by the service end of a nail gun. Sheriff Mike Church (De Niro) arrives at a familiar crime scene four weeks earlier. A junkie lays dead on a couch with a needle sticking out of his arm. By his side lies an empty bag labeled Fentanyl-laced smack.
Shelby John (Huston) speeds home on his motorcycle while Ruby Red (Willa Fitzgerald), strung-out, dances waiting for her fix. The couple shoot up and descend into narcotic haze. Ruby becomes nervous when she sees some girl scouts selling cookies; she wants to quit being addicted.Ruby announces to Shelby that she wants to get clean and rejoin her mother’s (Dale Dickey) church.
The pair experience intense withdrawal symptoms. They roll in agony, throw up, and hold onto each other convulsively shaking all over.Shelby fails miserably at work where he operates a forklift truck in warehouse Several gruesome days later mark another chapter in their lives together.Shelby wants to marry Ruby.He makes this known to religious family members.Ruby’s successful brother-in-law (John Malkovich) gives his support. Shelby finds out that Elvis is still stalking them and warns him to stay away from her.Elvis tells him that their heroin days are over.
Savage Salvation drags on for too long in several scenes especially when they are in a room by themselves. These two characters’ interaction is always during drug use. A well-known producer (2 Guns, The Irishman) may have turned director (Midnight in the Switchgrass), Randall Emmett, concentrates on heroin chic.Ruby spends nearly her entire screen time scantily clad and over-sexualized.Emmett’s trying to recreate a couple’s narcotic dependency a la the nineties classic Rush. He needed to focus more on the ugly and negative symptoms of addiction.His attempt at portraying destructive intimacy doesn’t work.
None of these characters struck me as being from the South but were like caricatures instead.The film could use a better dialect coach.De Niro’s accent does not sound like that of a rural cop.It is strange how one of the greatest actors Hollywood has ever had could make such a misstep.This was an odd mistake for everyone in the cast, which glaringly and pervasively affected all of them.
Savage Salvation might have been saved with good action sequences. Shelby suddenly turns into some kind of indestructible killing machine. In its last half, he mows down hordes of baddies without getting even hurt once.He becomes mysteriously proficient in murder.Therefore, it starts to appear very plausible that he can fire guns accurately as any good ole country boy but certainly not Rambo.
Previously known as Wash Me in the River Savage Salvation was produced by The Avenue Entertainment, BondIt Media Capital, Buffalo 8 Productions and EFO Films.In terms of availability,it can be rented or seen at selected theaters today.
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