• Latest
  • Trending
Savages Review

Savages Review: Barras’ Breathtaking Animation Calls Out Destruction

Peg O' My Heart Review

Peg O’ My Heart Review: Strong Acting Can’t Save a Clumsy Script

Hats Off to Love Review (1)

Hats Off to Love Review: Checking the Boxes with Style

Akira Warner Bros

Warner Bros. Lets Akira Rights Expire After Two-Decade Struggle

34 minutes ago
Adam Sandler and Jerry Bruckheimer

Sandler, Bruckheimer Turn NHL Draft Into Hollywood Showcase

1 hour ago
Matthew Goode

Matthew Goode’s ‘Too Dark’ Bond Pitch Sheds Light on 007 Reboot Debate

1 hour ago
because shes worth it

Five-Lion Triumph for L’Oréal’s Ilon Specht Documentary

2 hours ago
Joshua Jackson

Joshua Jackson Revisits the ‘Stressful’ Gay Scene That Made Cruel Intentions a Cult Classic

2 hours ago
James Bond

Amazon MGM Sets Fresh Course for James Bond Franchise

2 hours ago
Exterritorial

Netflix Saddles Up After Exterritorial Success

2 hours ago
I'm Beginning to See the Light Review (1)

I’m Beginning to See the Light Review: A Russian Soul in an American Fable

The Biggest Fan Review

The Biggest Fan Review: One Great Performance Can’t Save a Hollow Story

Tom Clancy's The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review: A Nostalgic But Flawed Homecoming

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Gazettely Review Guidelines
Saturday, June 28, 2025
GAZETTELY
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Akira Warner Bros

    Warner Bros. Lets Akira Rights Expire After Two-Decade Struggle

    Adam Sandler and Jerry Bruckheimer

    Sandler, Bruckheimer Turn NHL Draft Into Hollywood Showcase

    Matthew Goode

    Matthew Goode’s ‘Too Dark’ Bond Pitch Sheds Light on 007 Reboot Debate

    because shes worth it

    Five-Lion Triumph for L’Oréal’s Ilon Specht Documentary

    Joshua Jackson

    Joshua Jackson Revisits the ‘Stressful’ Gay Scene That Made Cruel Intentions a Cult Classic

    James Bond

    Amazon MGM Sets Fresh Course for James Bond Franchise

    Exterritorial

    Netflix Saddles Up After Exterritorial Success

    Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning Review

    ‘Final Reckoning’ Nears $550 M While Budget Questions Linger

    Love Island USA Hannah Fields

    Inside the Vote That Sent Hannah Home—and Why Viewers Aren’t Over It

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    Peg O' My Heart Review

    Peg O’ My Heart Review: Strong Acting Can’t Save a Clumsy Script

    Hats Off to Love Review (1)

    Hats Off to Love Review: Checking the Boxes with Style

    I'm Beginning to See the Light Review (1)

    I’m Beginning to See the Light Review: A Russian Soul in an American Fable

    The Biggest Fan Review

    The Biggest Fan Review: One Great Performance Can’t Save a Hollow Story

    Heads of State Review

    Heads of State Review: Elba and Cena Carry the Ticket

    Mr. Blake at Your Service! Review

    Mr. Blake at Your Service! Review: The Anarchist in the Butler’s Pantry

    The Sound Review

    The Sound Review: A Long Way Down

    Please Dont Feed the Children Review

    Please Don’t Feed the Children Review: Destry Spielberg’s Ambitious but Flawed Debut

    Ice Road Vengeance Review

    Ice Road: Vengeance Review – Liam Neeson’s Diminishing Returns Continue

  • Game Reviews
    Tom Clancy's The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review

    Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review: A Nostalgic But Flawed Homecoming

    9 Kings Review

    9 Kings Review: Seven Monarchs, Endless Strategic Possibilities

    Rematch Review

    Rematch Review: Sloclap’s Ambitious Football Experiment Falls Short of Goals

    Chronicles of the Wolf Review

    Chronicles of the Wolf Review: Forging a Path Through the Past

    JDM Japanese Drift Master Review

    JDM: Japanese Drift Master Review – When Mechanics Meet Manga

    Blood Bar Tycoon Review

    Blood Bar Tycoon Review: A Bloody Good Idea, Poorly Executed

    Ghost Frequency Review

    Ghost Frequency Review: All Atmosphere, No Conclusion

    Death Stranding 2 On the Beach Review 1

    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Review – Kojima’s Outback Odyssey

    RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review

    RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review: The Detective Who Couldn’t Investigate

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Akira Warner Bros

    Warner Bros. Lets Akira Rights Expire After Two-Decade Struggle

    Adam Sandler and Jerry Bruckheimer

    Sandler, Bruckheimer Turn NHL Draft Into Hollywood Showcase

    Matthew Goode

    Matthew Goode’s ‘Too Dark’ Bond Pitch Sheds Light on 007 Reboot Debate

    because shes worth it

    Five-Lion Triumph for L’Oréal’s Ilon Specht Documentary

    Joshua Jackson

    Joshua Jackson Revisits the ‘Stressful’ Gay Scene That Made Cruel Intentions a Cult Classic

    James Bond

    Amazon MGM Sets Fresh Course for James Bond Franchise

    Exterritorial

    Netflix Saddles Up After Exterritorial Success

    Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning Review

    ‘Final Reckoning’ Nears $550 M While Budget Questions Linger

    Love Island USA Hannah Fields

    Inside the Vote That Sent Hannah Home—and Why Viewers Aren’t Over It

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    Peg O' My Heart Review

    Peg O’ My Heart Review: Strong Acting Can’t Save a Clumsy Script

    Hats Off to Love Review (1)

    Hats Off to Love Review: Checking the Boxes with Style

    I'm Beginning to See the Light Review (1)

    I’m Beginning to See the Light Review: A Russian Soul in an American Fable

    The Biggest Fan Review

    The Biggest Fan Review: One Great Performance Can’t Save a Hollow Story

    Heads of State Review

    Heads of State Review: Elba and Cena Carry the Ticket

    Mr. Blake at Your Service! Review

    Mr. Blake at Your Service! Review: The Anarchist in the Butler’s Pantry

    The Sound Review

    The Sound Review: A Long Way Down

    Please Dont Feed the Children Review

    Please Don’t Feed the Children Review: Destry Spielberg’s Ambitious but Flawed Debut

    Ice Road Vengeance Review

    Ice Road: Vengeance Review – Liam Neeson’s Diminishing Returns Continue

  • Game Reviews
    Tom Clancy's The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review

    Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Review: A Nostalgic But Flawed Homecoming

    9 Kings Review

    9 Kings Review: Seven Monarchs, Endless Strategic Possibilities

    Rematch Review

    Rematch Review: Sloclap’s Ambitious Football Experiment Falls Short of Goals

    Chronicles of the Wolf Review

    Chronicles of the Wolf Review: Forging a Path Through the Past

    JDM Japanese Drift Master Review

    JDM: Japanese Drift Master Review – When Mechanics Meet Manga

    Blood Bar Tycoon Review

    Blood Bar Tycoon Review: A Bloody Good Idea, Poorly Executed

    Ghost Frequency Review

    Ghost Frequency Review: All Atmosphere, No Conclusion

    Death Stranding 2 On the Beach Review 1

    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Review – Kojima’s Outback Odyssey

    RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review

    RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review: The Detective Who Couldn’t Investigate

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
GAZETTELY
No Result
View All Result
Savages Review

Mongrel Review: A Sobering Exploration of Exploitation

Ghost of Tsushima Achieves Record-Breaking PC Launch for PlayStation Games

Home Entertainment Movies

Savages Review: Barras’ Breathtaking Animation Calls Out Destruction

How One Film Championed the Fight for Indigenous Land

Mahan Zahiri by Mahan Zahiri
1 year ago
in Entertainment, Movies, Reviews
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on WhatsAppShare on Telegram

The animated film Savages transports viewers to the lush rainforests of Borneo through its intricately crafted stop-motion animation. Directed by Claude Barras, the French film follows an 11-year-old girl named Kéria, who discovers her cultural heritage ties to the Penan, an indigenous group fighting to protect their ancestral forest lands.

As the movie opens, breathtaking imagery introduces the dense jungles of Borneo. Delicate details bring the ecosystem to life, from colorful plantlife to animals like a baby orangutan rescued from harm. But impending threats loom as logging operations clear sections of forest. We meet Kéria, living near the forest with her father while dealing with her late mother’s Penan background. When her cousin Selaï comes to stay, fleeing conflict over the forest, their time together in the woods opens Kéria’s eyes to the beauty of the land and the struggle to preserve it.

Barras crafts a compelling story with timely themes of environmentalism, cultural identity, and standing up against exploitation. Through Kéria’s journey of self-discovery, the film advocates for protecting the forests and indigenous rights in a thoughtful yet passionate manner.

Her Forest Journey

The animated film Savages tells its impactful story through the eyes of young Kéria. Growing up in a town near the dense Bornean rainforest, Kéria barely knows of her heritage tied to the Penan people. When her cousin Selaí comes to live with her, fleeing conflict over the forest, it sets her on a journey of discovery.

Savages Review

Selaí, who comes from fully living within the forest’s depths, opens Kéria’s perspective. She sees how connected he remains to the land and its ways, even enjoying bullying the sheltered city girl. But Kéria also cares for the baby orangutan she rescued, naming him Oshi and finding her own bond. After the cousins quarrel, Selaí flees into the wilderness with Oshi, forcing Kéria to follow deep into the dense greenery.

Among the towering tree trunks and lush plantlife, Kéria learns skills for surviving off the land and connects with her culture in new ways. As she helps Selaí return to his people, the film renders vibrantly the forest’s textures and sounds. Yet dangers also emerge, from poisonous snakes to prowling big cats, showing nature’s edge. Kéria gains not just woodland knowledge but a growing respect for the Penan’s forest-focused way of life.

When at last meeting Sela’s tribe, Kéria discovers more about her late mother and family ties to this place. Wishing to protect the forest as her kin have for generations, she joins their fight against the palm oil developers’ encroachment. The story follows her transformation from a disinterested city girl to someone willing to take a stand as she finds belonging with her cultural group and cares about their threatened home.

Through tender moments like breastfeeding baby animals yet also depicting real perils, the film immerses viewers in the rainforest world to argue its message: that protecting indigenous lands and culture matters. By grounding this in one girl’s journey of self-realization, it crafts an impactful tale of environmental activism.

Natural Wonders Brought to Life

The animated film Savages dazzles with its breathtaking visualization of the Bornean rainforest. Director Claude Barras leveraged the wonders of stop-motion animation to transform this lush natural world into a vibrant, moving canvas.

Viewers find themselves immersed within dense greenery, towering trees stretching towards the sky. Delicate plants spill across the forest floor in lush coats of every imaginable hue. But it’s not just the flora that astounds; animals also appear to have been crafted with incredible care.

You can’t help but fall for the wide-eyed charm of baby orangutan Oshi. Subtle motions bring this furry creature to life, from curious glances to sneezes that reveal his playful spirit. Less cute beasts inhabit the woods too, shown with impressive veracity. Sinuous snakes slither through foliage, panthers prowl with predatory poise.

It’s clear immense affection went into sculpting each leaf and creature. Barras admired this ecosystem’s interconnected natural order, and it radiates from the screens. Even scarier denizens like leeches wriggle with a certain biological realness. Viewers truly feel transported alongside the film’s young leads deep into an untamed primeval world.

If animals appear endearingly real, humans take on a slightly more exaggerated look. Wider eyes and rounder faces distinguish Kéria and others from their wild rainforest co-inhabitants. This visual divergence hints at a disconnect between people and place, a gap the film argues must be bridged.

Through its animations, Savages spreads vital messages of environmentalism and cultural respect. By bringing the aesthetics of Borneo’s forests to such stunning cinematic life, it inspires viewers to appreciate and protect these rare natural wonders.

Honoring Heritage, Healing the Land

Savages carries important thematic messages that resonate long after viewing. At its core, the film advocates for protecting the ancestral home of the Penan people from corporate destruction.

We see how the palm oil company disrespects their nomadic way of life, trying to frame indigenous customs as “primitive” or thrust modern ideals upon them. But Barras ensures viewers understand the deep connection the Penan have to the forest—it’s integral to their entire culture and identity.

As Kéria rediscovers her own Penan roots, she understands the value of tradition and belonging. The land holds ancestral wisdom that outsiders cannot replace. Barras presents this indigenous perspective in a thoughtful, never preachy manner.

Colonial overtones also emerge as faceless executives wield power over the Penan, threatening violence if they don’t comply. But the film finds humanity even in adversaries, avoiding simple villainization. Overall, it conveys respect for all cultures seeking self-determination.

On environmental issues, Savages walks a balanced line. It highlights the tropical forest’s natural magnificence without sugarcoating ecological dangers. And the palm oil company’s destruction feels all too real—a sobering reminder of how corporate priorities overrun common resources.

Most impressive is how Barras brings such complex topics to younger viewers. The story engages through Kéria’s journey rather than didacticism. By the film’s end, its messages of cultural sensitivity and environmental responsibility feel inspired yet never forced. Savages proves thoughtful themes can indeed reach all ages.

Not Your Typical Cartoon

Savages stands apart from many animated environmental films in its thoughtful handling of important issues. Where some movies aim their message at kids, Barras creates something that engages viewers of any age.

Take The Lorax, for example; its warnings on pollution weren’t wrong, but the overall story felt geared towards younger kids. Savages avoid feeling too simplified. Though its themes are serious, Barras presents them accessibly without dumbing anything down.

The film is equally thoughtful in depicting the Penan people. All too often, indigenous cultures get tokenized or turned into caricatures on screen. But Barras clearly did his research, showing the Penan’s deep spiritual connection to the rainforest in a sensitive, grounded way.

Contrast this with how wildly inaccurate many movies portray Native cultures. One need only recall the many problems with Pocahontas to see that Disney completely missed the mark. Savages gets it right by working closely with its real-life subjects.

What results is a fable that feels vitally important yet is never preachy. Barras doesn’t shy away from difficult topics but keeps the focus on character. We explore the conflict through Kéria’s eyes rather than through overt messaging.

In the end, Savages offers a more mature animated experience. While entertaining, it sticks with viewers as a work of art that aims to start meaningful discussions. For Barras, animation is about much more than just enchanting children.

The Forest Echoes On

Savages leaves a real impression with its heartfelt defense of nature. Barras crafted something urgent yet soothing, a rallying cry that stays with you.

The film carries such weight because it feels wholly authentic. Its dramatic story draws us in but stays grounded, its characters realistic not idealized. We fully buy into Kéria’s awakening thanks to Barras’ humane touch.

Most striking is how seamlessly Barras weaves important ideas into a gripping narrative. The Penan’s plight feels tragically real, their way of life portrayed with grace not sentimentality. Its environmental warnings feel stirring not dogmatic.

I’d recommend Savages to anyone wanting an animated film that stays with them. Barras made something special that will introduce even young minds to pressing issues in a thoughtful way. Its beauty shines a light on unsung heroes our world badly needs.

After the final frames, the film’s message lingers as powerfully as the memory of that lush Bornean forest. Barras proves animation truly has the power to start discussions and open hearts to causes worth fighting for. The environmentalist spirit of the Penan certainly carries on in its wake.

The Review

Savages

9 Score

Claude Barras' Savages proves animated films can tackle weighty issues with grace and nuance. Blending breathtaking scenery with rich characters, it brings an enlightening environmentalist story to audiences worldwide. Barras treats both nature and indigenous culture with immense respect, crafting an experience that stays thought-provoking with viewers. For its beauty, bite, and thoughtful championing of causes worth fighting for, Savages has my highest recommendation.

PROS

  • A stunning stop-motion animation that brings the rainforest to life
  • Thoughtful, grounded portrayal of indigenous Penan culture
  • A strong environmental message is presented easily without being preachy.
  • Well-developed protagonists help viewers engage with the themes.
  • Timely story highlights real issues surrounding deforestation

CONS

  • More development could have been given to some secondary characters.
  • Complex indigenous dialogue isn't subtitled for non-Penan viewers.
  • Darker themes may be intense for very young children.

Review Breakdown

  • Overall 0
Tags: 2024 Cannes Film FestivalAnimationBabette De CosterBenoît PoelvoordeClaude BarrasFamilyFeaturedLaetitia DoschMartin VersetNancy HustonSauvagesSavagesSavages (2024)
Previous Post

Mongrel Review: A Sobering Exploration of Exploitation

Next Post

Ghost of Tsushima Achieves Record-Breaking PC Launch for PlayStation Games

Try AI Movie Recommender

Gazettely AI Movie Recommender

This Week's Top Reads

  • Smoke Review

    Smoke Review: The Year’s Most Unpredictable and Unsettling Show

    7 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Alma and the Wolf Review: Ethan Embry Shines in a Flawed Fever Dream

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boglands Review: Shadows and Whispers in the Irish Mist

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mix Tape Review: A Story Told on Two Sides of a Cassette

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Marshmallow Review: These Woods Hide Unexpected Secrets

    4 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Waterfront Review: Kevin Williamson’s Return to Murky Family Waters

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Love Island USA Season 7 Review: Summer’s Hottest Guilty Pleasure Returns

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Must Read Articles

Heads of State Review
Movies

Heads of State Review: Elba and Cena Carry the Ticket

3 hours ago
Squid Game Season 3 Review
Entertainment

Squid Game Season 3 Review: No Happy Endings Here

1 day ago
Love Island USA Season 7 Review
Entertainment

Love Island USA Season 7 Review: Summer’s Hottest Guilty Pleasure Returns

2 days ago
The Bear Season 4 Review
Entertainment

The Bear Season 4 Review: A Contemplative, Cathartic Final Course

2 days ago
Surviving Ohio State Review
Movies

Surviving Ohio State Review: The Weight of Witness

2 days ago
Loading poll ...
Coming Soon
Who is the best director in the horror thriller genre?

Gazettely is your go-to destination for all things gaming, movies, and TV. With fresh reviews, trending articles, and editor picks, we help you stay informed and entertained.

© 2021-2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

What’s Inside

  • Movie & TV Reviews
  • Game Reviews
  • Featured Articles
  • Latest News
  • Editorial Picks

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About US
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Review Guidelines

Follow Us

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movies
  • Entertainment News
  • Movie and TV Reviews
  • TV Shows
  • Game News
  • Game Reviews
  • Contact Us

© 2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

Go to mobile version