Salvage (2009) - Film Review

At last a low budget British Horror which does exactly what it says on the tin. Lawrence Gough’s 2009 offering SALVAGE is a damn fine way to spend a mere 76 minutes of your life. A well put together balance of drama, horror, and mystery make this a good example of how a small budget can go a long way. Finely acted and competently directed, this well written and cleverly executed film gets the thumbs up from me.

It’s Christmas Eve and when a quiet suburban neighbourhood is invaded by heavily armed military and it’s residents told to stay put and lock the windows and doors, it soon becomes apparent that some real nasty s**t is kicking off. With her rebellious Daughter Jodie (Linzey Cocker) locked in a house over the road and the body count rising, feisty Beth (Neve McIntosh) decides to take matters into her own hands to ensure her daughter’s safety.
Salvage keep us guessing along with the residents and keeps a steady pace. It compels us to keep watching right to the end credits and has its share of heart-pounding moments. Although not perfect, there is more right with Salvage than wrong.

The effects are well done within the constraints of the budget and although I fear the local chuck wagon is missing a few bottles of ketchup, on the whole it looks good. Although we witness very few actual killings, we know they are happening and stumble over enough bodies to prove the horror of those deaths. This may disappoint a few die-hard horror fans, but for me it was a good use of the budget and ensured that I was with Beth as she stumbled across the horror and slowly pieced together the nightmare as it unfolded.

Filmed on an old Brookside set and written with the help of Hollyoaks writer Colin O’Donnell there are moments where the soap opera style takes over a little but these moments build the characters beautifully and for me it works. As a British film it’s always gonna be compared with the likes of Eden Lake and that’s where it gonna fail. It’s certainly entertaining and one to look out for but I doubt whether it will have the same impact as Eden Lake. Still, the acting by Neve McIntosh is superb and lifts this film way above the normal cruddy low budget offering. Also worth a mention is Shaun Dooley (Eden Lake) who plays Beth’s one night stand, Kieran and does an accomplished job.

In summery Salvage is best viewed with no expectations, it’ll keep you watching and entertained for its duration and at 76 mins long it won’t overstay it’s welcome.

SALVAGE (2009). Director: Lawrence Gough. Writers: Lawrence Gough (Story), Colin O’Donnell (Story/Writer), Alan Pattison (Story). Cast: Neve McIntosh, Linzey Cocker, Shaun Dooley, Ben Batt, Dean Andrews.

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