Inspired by the true stories of New Zealand's street gangs across 30 years, Danny is shown at three defining moments in his life as he grows from a boy into the violent enforcer of a gang.
Sam Kelly's feature film debut, Savage, attempts to portray the savagery of New Zealand gangs. While it certainly makes itself a bottomless vessel of tension and anxiety, the savagery is somewhat scarce in its authenticity and realism. Not dissimilar to a mask, Savage, is a dissection of the root causes of gang formation, and the eventual contradictory nature of their brand of "family".
Focused around the Savage enforcer, Danny is known by many names; nowadays living under the monikers 'Damage' or 'Sarge'. The film takes us through three pivotal stages in his life that led to questioning his loyalties. A scowling tattooed man with "kind eyes", our protagonist lacks the unstable chaotic nature of Once Were Warriors Jake the Muss; Danny is not content in his position amongst the Savages. Having been the caring, responsible child who would put themselves in harm's way to protect his siblings, his transformation into a weapon for another person's cause, is leading to much unease. More along the lines of this year's Irish drama, Calm With Horses, Savage wants to bring to light the shades of grey in a seedy underworld that many consider black and white.
Somewhat of a double-edged sword, Danny (portrayed by Jake Ryan) isn't a big talker. It cements his position as nothing but a protective force to his leader and co-founder Moses (Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson); an object to be used, and a friend to none. On the flip side, it means his character lacks any sense of charisma. With very few opportunities to see how 'Damage' would act in normal circumstances, it reduces the impact of the more criminal activities as the film consistently shows him using excessive force. With the simple goals of having some money and some friends and family to spend time with, Danny has found himself constantly at the receiving end of abuse; physical, emotional, and sexual. He cherishes the concept of family and being a protector in his own head, but every person he comes across simply wishes to use and discard him, coercing him in a direction that he does not care for.
Gritty and grounded, Savage knows its subject matter well. There is no exposition or detailed monologues or dialogues about people's feelings; emotions are conveyed through actions and mannerisms; through posturing, violence, and expletive language. Such is the way in which these impoverished communities have been cast out by conventional society. Still, the flashbacks that explain Danny's history mean there is little time spent on the present storyline. Danny being the source of violence in the film, sets the standard for the authenticity and genuine nature of the violence, and the flashbacks undermine the integrity of his savage nature.
The film is well shot, with well-designed production sets showing off the degraded living conditions that the gangs have come to call home. However, this lack of integrity, combined with underdeveloped supporting characters create a final product that is full of violence and tension, but never fully feels real. It makes you hold your breath and feel uncomfortable, but the out-of-frame violence doesn't have the gravitas or lethality to leave a lasting impact. Like a blunt knife, or a table with its edges rounded, Savage is a much safer film; less likely to trigger the audience than Once Were Warriors.
As far as providing an explanation as to how inequality leads to gang culture, Savage does a brilliant job; looking at issues within the family unit, as well as those within the governmental institutes that are supposed to protect children. On the more character-driven side of things, Sam Kelly's debut is lacking, which is unfortunate. There was an opportunity here for something truly memorable.
Savage is in cinemas from September 10, 2020