“I think a lot of people will sleep better at night believing [these photographs] are Photoshopped, than seeing something that is actually happening.”

Story: Sangre de Cristo, Arizona – called Savageland by the white people in nearby towns – is a tiny little town on the border of the USA and Mexico. One night, the population goes from 57 to zero…except for one survivor, undocumented immigrant Francisco Salazar. So, of course, Salazar is thought to be the murderer. But Salazar is a guy who likes to take pictures, and one roll of film he took on that night is found. Those photos begin an investigation that uncovers something much more horrifying than a serial killer.

Scares: Dawning horror, and tons of horrific dramatic irony.
Splat Factor:  Lots of blood soaked photos of the after-effects of the “massacre”.

Subgenre: Mocumentary Horrors
Year Released: 2015
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Damn this one’s original.

Trick or Treat?: In my quest to find a zombie movie I haven’t seen yet, I stumbled on this gem. And damn, I’m impressed. If you’re interested in low budget, slow burn horror? Savageland has got it in spades.

Writers/directors Phil Guidry, Simon Herbert, and David Whelan do a great job building suspense with a epistolary story. Savageland is told through interviews, photos, and glimpses of Salazar in prison. It’s slow, yet the way we all know what really happened – and how interviewees are getting it wrong, or right – keep things compelling.

Then there’s the way the story shines a light on how POC are made into easy villains by law enforcement. Oh, a Latino man was the sole survivor? He must have done it then. *sighs sadly* It’s a condemnation of lazy hate, xenophobia, and point-blank racism, delivered in a way that blends seamlessly into the narrative. The 2016 election had been approaching as this film was shot, but it hits even harder now.

Savageland‘s final five minutes are an unsettling, creepy finale that had me making sure my door was locked. Y’know, just in case. Though I have to warn folks who are sensitive to flickering images that there is a “damaged video” section that made my eyes ache for a bit. For me, it was worth it, though. But FYI, yada yada.

I’m shocked this one hasn’t gotten more love. Go check this out, it’s free on several streaming channels. This would be a great double feature with Lake Mungo; each film’s slow burn documentary style would work well together.

Score: 4. 5 out of 5 pumpkins.