Savageland

Savageland

Year: 2015

Runtime: 80 mins

Language: English

Directors: Simon Herbert, David Whelan

CrimeHorrorThrillerHorror

Near the Arizona-Mexico border, a small town is mysteriously destroyed overnight. The sole survivor finds themselves the prime suspect, but a roll of photographs taken during the tragic events reveals a disturbing and unexpected explanation for what occurred. The investigation delves into a horrifying truth that crosses borders and challenges everything believed.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Savageland (2015)

Trace every key event in Savageland (2015) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Night of the Sangre De Cristo massacre

On June 2, 2011, Sangre De Cristo is struck by a grisly massacre that leaves 57 residents dead. Most bodies vanish, and the few found are dismembered and marked by bite wounds, signaling something beyond ordinary crime. The emergency response centers on Francisco Salazar, the lone survivor, who becomes the prime suspect as the town scrambles to understand what happened.

June 2, 2011, night Sangre De Cristo, Arizona
2

Initial investigation & suspect labeling

Investigators interview residents, families, and Salazar’s sister, collecting mixed and often conflicting testimonies about his character. Doubts and suspicion circulate as authorities struggle to reconcile Salazar's quiet life with the brutal acts. The town remains divided while the case stalls under the weight of uncertainty.

Following the massacre Sangre De Cristo
3

Salazar's single interview

Salazar agrees to a single interview with a criminal psychologist, offering guarded answers. He claims he brought a camera to document what happened but lost the footage during his escape, leaving investigators with only fragments of his account. The interview becomes a focal point for how the case is interpreted.

Early aftermath Salazar's home / town interview setting
4

Recovered camera roll linked to the case

A resident who initially arrested Salazar forwards a camera roll to an independent journalist. A professional photographer and a Border Patrol specialist examine the footage and declare it genuine, stitching Salazar’s account to a bigger, film-like narrative. The recovered material begins to shape the public understanding of the night.

Days after the massacre Sangre De Cristo / journalist's office
5

The nightmarish sequence begins at Salazar's house

The footage shows a wounded young man visiting Salazar, who seeks help but is forced to confront danger. The visitor dies—only to come back to life and violently attack Salazar, compelling him to kill again to survive. This sequence frames the events as more than a conventional crime.

During the night of the incident Salazar's house on the town's outskirts
6

Figures emerge from the hills

From the darkness, figures emerge and push the town toward chaos. A seasoned hunter who tries to shoot the approaching threat is overwhelmed, underscoring the danger that exceeds human capability. The documentary footage captures the escalating horror in the streets.

That same night Outskirts of Sangre De Cristo
7

Salazar seeks sanctuary at the church

Seeking help and refuge, Salazar heads toward the town church as fear spreads. The Putnams appear in the narrative as the crisis deepens, signaling a turning point for the community. The church becomes a focal point for witness testimony and fear.

Later that night Church
8

Duane Putnam's break with faith

Grace Putnam’s father, Duane, descends into madness after being turned in the narrative. He murders his own family before taking his own life, a tragedy that shatters the community's sense of safety. The tragedy broadens the horror by tying personal faith to devastating violence.

During the chaotic night Putnam residence / church vicinity
9

Grace Putnam devoured at the daycare

Salazar's pursuit leads to the town daycare, now overrun by the undead. A gated window separates him from the tragedy inside as he watches Grace be devoured, a testament to the night’s reach beyond the initial victims. The scene intensifies the sense that the horror has no easy resolution.

Later in the night Town daycare center
10

Public reaction to Salazar

In the aftermath, public opinion wrestles with Salazar's role. Some praise his bravery for bearing witness and preserving evidence, while others doubt the footage’s authenticity or criticize him for not intervening more directly. The community remains torn between belief and accusation.

Afters the events Sangre De Cristo
11

Posthumous conclusions about Duane Putnam

Investigators confirm that Duane Putnam killed his own kin before taking his own life, a discovery that reframes the town’s tragedy. The burial of Duane is noted as separate from the rest of the family, underscoring the isolation of his act. The revelation deepens the town’s grief and questions about faith and authority.

Following the events Cemetery / burial site
12

Salazar is executed; his body vanishes

Salazar is executed, but the grim twist arrives when his body disappears from its grave. The vanishing body fuels speculation about the truth of the survivor’s account and the unresolved nature of the case. The mystery leaves the town unsettled regarding what really happened.

After execution Cemetery
13

Threat expands beyond Sangre De Cristo

The Border Patrol warns that the threat depicted in the recovered footage appears to be moving north, suggesting the town may only be a doorway to a broader disaster. Mysterious deaths and disappearances begin to surface beyond Sangre De Cristo’s borders. The story widens its scope from a solitary incident to a potential regional menace.

Post-execution / aftermath Border region / wider area
14

Campers attacked; undead Salazar reappears

In the most chilling recovered material, a group of campers is attacked and turned by the same terrifying force. An undead Salazar appears among the attackers, confirming that the horror did not end with the town’s fall. The footage hints at a nightmarish spread far beyond Sangre De Cristo.

After the town's fall Remote campground

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:45

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Explore Movie Threads

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Movies with a documentary horror style like Savageland

Horrifying truths uncovered through fictional documents, footage, and testimonies.If you liked the investigative, evidence-based approach of Savageland, explore more movies that use documentary techniques, found footage, or mockumentary styles to uncover a horror story. These films create a sense of realism and unease by presenting terror through a factual lens.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows an inquest into a catastrophic or paranormal event. The story unfolds through a collection of sources—interviews, news clips, recovered media—that gradually reveal a truth far more horrifying than initial assumptions. The structure is often non-linear, building suspense through the procedural unveiling of evidence.

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They are grouped by their shared format, which creates a unique sense of verisimilitude and dread. The experience is defined by the feeling of watching a real investigation descend into nightmare, where the method of storytelling is as crucial to the horror as the events themselves.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows the rapid or methodical destruction of a community or the entire world by an overwhelming force. Characters grapple with survival, scapegoating, and the loss of everything they know. The journey is typically downward, emphasizing the fragility of order and the inevitability of the catastrophe, culminating in a grim, often open-ended finale.

Why These Movies?

They share a core theme of existential threat and the failure of society to contain it. The experience is defined by high tension, heavy emotional weight, and a pervasive sense of dread about the end of the world, focusing on the psychological and physical horror of collapse rather than hope or redemption.

Unlock the Full Story of Savageland

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Savageland Summary

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Savageland Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Savageland

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Savageland

Savageland Spoiler-Free Summary

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Savageland Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Savageland

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