Savage [2018] NYAFF – A High Octane Chinese Thriller

Savage (雪暴, Cui Siwei, 2018)

Savage [雪暴] 2018 is a debut film of the screenwriter Cui Siwei. Cui first broke through as a notable film writer with his work in the 2009 black comedy Crazy Racer. He is popularly known for writing comedy-drama The Island (2018) and sci-fiction action thriller Bleeding Steel (2017), starring Jackie Chan. Savage is a high-octane action thriller set at the top of Mt. Baekdu on the China-North Korea border.

Richard Kuipers in his review for Variety writes, “Savage marks a confident directing debut for Chinese screenwriter Cui Siwei (“The Island”). This no-nonsense affair about a dogged detective squaring off with a trio of vicious crooks packs plenty of excitement and visual splendour into a familiar scenario and is well performed by a top-notch cast including Chang Chen (“The Assassin”) and Liao Fan (“Black Coal, Thin Ice”).

Related to Chang Chen – The Assassin [2015] Review – A Visual Poetry

Synopsis of Savage 雪暴 [2018]

A cop waiting for his transfer, a trio of vicious thieves after a hidden trove of gold, a beautiful doctor held hostage, a local guide turned traitor: these stock characters come vividly alive in the propulsive directorial debut of screenwriter Cui Siwei (The Island). By turns droll and deadly, the film begins with an avalanche of logs atop Mt. Baekdu on the China-North Korea border, triggering a taut cat-and-mouse game as the snowfall of a lifetime roll in. Chang Chen plays the courageous cop to Liao Fan’s callous criminal, in a viscerally thrilling showdown between good and evil… and man and blizzard.

Trailer

Savage would play at the Lincoln centre on July 4th, 2019 – 7.30 PM. You can book the tickets online for the same.

Director: Cui Siwei
Cast: Li Guangjie, Zhang Yicong, Liu Hua, Huang Jue, Lao Fan, Ni Ni, Chang Chen
Languages: Mandarin with English subtitles
Release Date: 20 April 2019 (China)
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Running Time: 112 minutes
Link: IMDb, Savage premiers at NYAFF 2019