Hollywood loves an underdog. But at some point, the formula starts feeling like a rigged fight. Enter Salvable, the latest entry in the long line of “beaten-down boxer fights for redemption” tales. The trailer sells grit, emotional stakes, and—of course—slow-motion punches. The problem? We've seen this all before.
Let's break it down: An aging fighter. A strained family bond. A shot at redemption. A dangerous crowd. Sound familiar? That's because it's essentially Rocky, The Fighter, Southpaw, and Warrior in different gloves.
But maybe we're being unfair. Maybe Salvable has something fresh to offer. After all, it's directed by newcomers Bjorn Franklin & Johnny Marchetta, and shot in Wales—a location that could add a unique, atmospheric edge. But if the trailer is any indication, the film leans more on well-worn boxing tropes than on originality.
Boxing movies tend to recycle narratives because they work. The underdog-fighter story is practically in our cultural DNA, from real-life legends like Muhammad Ali to fictional icons like Rocky Balboa. But repetition without reinvention leads to stagnation.
Compare Salvable to something like Creed, which revitalized the boxing genre by shifting focus to a new generation while honoring the past. Or Raging Bull, which explored self-destruction with brutal honesty. The Salvable trailer, on the other hand, doesn't seem to push any boundaries—it just repackages familiar beats with different actors.
Maybe Salvable will surprise us. Maybe its performances will elevate a predictable script. Maybe its setting will inject a fresh flavor. But based on the trailer, it's hard to shake the feeling that we're about to watch yet another boxing film that plays by the same old rules.
Are you still excited to watch Salvable? Or has Hollywood's obsession with the boxing underdog overstayed its welcome? Sound off below.
