Viewers to get 'Savaged' on Horror Channel this May

Horror Channel’s film highlights for May includes the UK TV premiere for director Michael S. Ojeda’s provocative and compelling SAVAGED, Saturday 16 May @ 22:55

The Crow meets I Spit On Your Grave in a viciously gory supernatural shocker made in 2013 by Michael S.Ojeda. Travelling across country to be with her fiancé, deaf mute Zoe (the entrancing Amanda Adrienne) stumbles on a horrific crime. Zoe’s brave attempt to intervene seals her fate; she's brutalized and left for dead. When an Indian shaman finds her clinging to life in a shallow grave he attempts to save her – but in the mystical process the spirit of an ancient Apache warrior enters her corpse hell-bent on revenge. But can she slaughter the men who attacked her in time before her body decomposes completely?

Read Our review from 2014 Glasgow Film 4 Frightfest review of Savaged here.

There are also UK TV premieres for Daniel Benmayor’s heart-pumping slasher PAINTBALL and Martin Barnewitz’s chilling prequel to ‘The Messengers’ – MESSENGERS 2: SCARECROW

Fri 15 May @ 21:00 – PAINTBALL (2009) * UK TV Premiere

Eight strangers engaged in an intense game of experts-only paintball find their friendly game taking a terrifying turn when one of the team begins playing by a different set of rules. What was once a team sport has become a relentless struggle for individual survival as the combatants gradually come to realize that their greatest adversary may be the very game they set out to play. This fast-paced tale of trigger terrors is directed by Daniel Benmayor and stars Brendan Mackey, Jennifer Matter and Patrick Regis.

Fri 1 May @ 21:00 – MESSENGERS 2: SACRECROW (2009) - *UK TV Premiere

In this prequel to the Pang Brothers' terrifying debut, the eerie backstory of farmer John Rollins (Norman Reedus) plays out in all its bone-chilling glory. Doing what he believes must be done in order to save his family and livelihood, John places an odd scarecrow among his crops and promptly reaps the benefits. But not for long. Produced by the celebrated Ghosthouse Pictures (30 Days of Night, Drag Me To Hell), this is one hayride best not taken alone. Directed by Martin Barnewitz and co-starring Heather Stephens & Claire Holt.

Plus, there are Network premieres for Peter Burger’s supernatural inker The Tattooist, Toby Wilkins’ fast-paced parasite thriller Splinter and Richard Gray’s Mine Games, a tense time-twister that packs an explosive punch.

Fri 8 May @ 21.00 – MINE GAMES (2012) *Network Premiere

A group of friends travel up to a cabin located deep within the forest. Shortly after arriving, they stumble across an abandoned mine and decide to explore the dark and mysterious tunnels. As the group hikes deeper within the mine, they make a shocking discovery that quickly turns their excitement into fear. Hunted by a mysterious force, the group must work together to escape the mine alive. This terrifying trip into unchartered hell stars: Briana Evigan, Ethan Peck and Julianna Guill. Directed by Richard Grey

Sat 23 May @ 22:45 – THE TATTOOIST (2007) *Network Premiere

A talented tattoo artist (Jason Behr) discovers that his attempt to master the ‘Samoan tatau’ tradition has awakened a vengeful supernatural force. In his devastating journey into Pacific mysticism, Jake must find a way to save his new love, Sina (Mia Black) and recover his own soul. This superior and compelling tale of tattoos, murders and ultimate redemption is the debut feature of ‘Bloodlines’ director Peter Burger and also stars Nathaniel Lees and Robbie Magasiva.

Fri 30 May @ 22:50 – SPLINTER (2008) *Network Premiere

Polly Watt (Jill Wagner) and boyfriend Seth Belzer (Paulo Costanzo) are on a road trip when they're carjacked and kidnapped by low-rent crooks Dennis Farell (Shea Whigham) and Lacey Belisle (Rachel Krebs). Plotting their next move, they find themselves in deeper trouble than any of them could have imagined -- a blood-crazed, parasitic creature that absorbs the corpses of its victims has the two couples in its sights. Finding shelter at an abandoned gas station, they must use their wits and every weapon at their disposal to stave off the onslaught, not only from the insatiable creature, but also each other. This a fun-filled, visually-captivating slaughterfest directed by Toby Wilkins (The Grudge 3)



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Glasgow Frightfest 2014 Review: Savaged (2013)

Genre:
Horror
Distributor:
Raven Banner
Rating: 18
Release Date:
28th February 2014 (Glasgow Frightfest)
Director:
Michael S. Ojeda
Cast:
Amanda Adrienne, Tom Ardavany, Ronnie Gene Blevins
The opening feature at Glasgow Frightfest 2014 was arguably one of the best choices in programming over the entire weekend. Savaged, written and directed by Michael S. Ojeda, is a brutal revenge slasher hovering somewhere between I Spit on Your Grave and Evil Dead.

Basically the story follows what happens to Zoe (Amanda Adrienne), a deaf mute girl on a trip to see her boyfriend in Mexico, after she attempts to save a Native American from the clutches of a brutal red-neck posse. The girl is kidnapped, brutally raped and tortured, then murdered and dumped in the desert. Troubles don’t stop there: a Native Shaman attempts to resurrect her but her soul returns fused to that of an ancient apache warrior. Playing host to the vengeful spirit, Zoe goes on a blood drenched revenge trip.

When you write it out like that, the film’s true colours appear pretty obvious. The opening half’s intense portrayal of capture and rape seems so bleak and steeped in a kind of degradation and shame, reminiscent of Martyrs, that the film seems utterly upsetting. Queue a Raimi-esque twist that sees the fantastic Amanda Adrienne’s distraught victim go on an apache driven revenge trip. Here the film picks up with so much glee that it’s impossible not to have a good time watching. Ojeda keeps a tight hold on the tone of his feature though, making sure it never sacrifices its grim beginnings or bleak laughs. That initial path of utter degradation proves important in ensuring that – no matter how freaky things get- the audience always sides with Zoe. Even when she’s rotting away, duct-taping bits of herself back together between blood soaked fights and sadistic hunting games, somewhere under all that, Adrienne injects a crucial dose of humanity to the monstrous heroine.

Of course, there’s a strong silly element to the film, not least Zoe’s boyfriend who shows up seconds behind the action again and again, spouting laughably adolescent dialogue and painfully hilarious overacting. But his character, the only “normal” guy on screen, adds to the humour of the film as opposed to causing it any issues. Along with the over-exaggerated gore and fantastically executed action, any dodgy acting appears to fit the bill and give a far more rounded retrospective kind of black comedy.

By the finale, Savaged has become every bit as eviscerated, blood-soaked, and revenge driven as its main character. Some wasted screen time around frivolous details, such as a detailed introduction to her dad’s prized car and a grainy retro aesthetic seen in countless modern horror features, are just about the worst this film can offer, but even then that’s not enough to derail an otherwise impressive feature.

Ojeda deserves praise for great mix of funny and fierce filmmaking led by a uniquely successful blending of genre ideas. Savaged is as fun as it is depressing, as gory as it is humorous, and above all entirely watchable and rarely tiring.

★★★½☆

Scott Clark