SALVAGELAND

Salvageland (2025)

Directed by: Lino Cayetano

This movie suffers from the most common trope in action films—which is making the lead stars invincible. They tend to survive even when outnumbered.

Even though the main character is physically weak and suffering from eye problem, he magically stays alive. There’s never a moment when his survival seems possible.

Action scenes are so lame, making the enemies move foolishly to set up a convenient victory for the leads.

In reality, a group of armed goons should easily take down a single frail man. But in this movie, they appear one at a time—keeping the lead star from being overwhelmed and guaranteeing he isn’t defeated.

The plot mostly revolves around rescuing a woman named Sally, but her acting performance isn’t believable or worth saving. The whole commotion surrounding her feels unearned and undeserving.

The ensemble is neither superb nor terrible. There are no standout moments to make any of them truly shine.

For a character that requires strength and agility, Richard Gomez doesn’t fit the role. Elijah Canlas doesn’t have enough action scenes, but he generally does fine in dramatic ones. The father-son relationship isn’t quite established, so their emotional moments don’t count.

McCoy De Leon isn’t frightening enough to make him a compelling antagonist. Mon Confiado is effortless in projecting his sinister vibe.

Angela Morena delivers expressive facial reactions. Despite her short stunt, you can tell she is capable of handling more fighting sequences. Apollo Abraham deserves more screen time because of his commanding presence. He can easily steal the scene and get your attention.

The world-building is weak. The flow is dragging. A few scenes could’ve benefited from an engaging musical scoring, but it’s mostly missing throughout the movie. Sometimes, long speeches are inserted just to explain thematic messages.

Most issues stem from the unbelievable action scenes, which is ironic since this is an action film. Having a foundation that’s loose, the movie is left with almost nothing to salvage.

𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

Cast: Richard Gomez, Elijah Canlas, Mon Confiado, Cindy Miranda, Angela Morena, McCoy De Leon

Written by: Shugo Praico, JC Pacala

Presented by: REIN Entertainment, Viva Films

Release Date: November 26, 2025 in Philippine cinemas nationwide

A Movie Review by: Goldwin Reviews