The Salvation
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Writers: Anders Thomas Jensen, and Kristian Levring
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen (Jon Jenson), Eva Green (Madelaine), Eric Cantona (Corsican), Mikael Persbrandt (Peter Jensen), Jeffery Dean Morgan (Henry Delarue), Douglas Henshall (Sheriff Mallick), Michael Raymond-James (Paul Delarue), Jonathan Pryce (Mayor Nathan), Alexander Arnold (Voichek Borowski), Nanna Oland Fabricius (Marie Jensen), Toke Lars Bjarke (Kresten Jensen), and Sean Cameron Michael (Lester).
The world as we know it will end here, now..Nope just the one hundred episode of the Reeltime movie review. Out of all movies, films, i decided on a western; Not the type of film expected for a hundred episode, but i just wanted to be different, and believe me when i tell you, this film is very much different. I could've picked out a list of thousands, but decided differently, because it's fresh, new, and i wanted a western feel.
Django Unchained, A Fistful of Dollars, The Unforgiven, to name some films that i easily could of chosen, instead i went with The Salvation. This review is dedicated to John Wayne, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster, Gregory Peck, and Clint Eastwood. These guys will always be the best of the best in the western world. Either way, lets move on to the review, without warning, reach for the gun at your side, move towards your opponent slowly, very slowly; Your eyes meet his, the only hope is either your gun or turn and run, but everyone knows running are for cowards. The drum beats, and now we begin the Reeltime's one hundred episode.
The story begins in 1870s America; Danish settlers Jon Jenson (Mads Mikkelsen) and his brother Peter Jensen (Mikael Persbrandt), settle in a new land, a homestead not far away, but must be reached by stagecoach. Jon has brought his family, Marie Jensen (Nanna Oland Fabricius), and son Kresten Jensen (Toke Lars Bjarke), they all get in the stagecoach and the unthinkable happens, two criminals who just got out of jail, rape, and kill Jon Jensen's family, while the coach is still in motion. Paul Delarue (Michael Raymond-James) is killed in the altercation with Jon Jensen, which is understandable, his family was killed by two criminals, and understanding the circumstances in which the events occurred, you'd side with Jon.
A simple revenge story line that brings us with two characters meeting each other, one bent on avenging his brothers death, Henry Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan); While the other avenges his families death with killing a criminal that belonged to an infamous organization led by Delarue. The problem here is the way the innocent people of the town reacted to Delarue, in every turn one guy was giving the main antagonist an upper hand. They all feared the bad guy, and would drop before him if thy needed to. The town of Black Creek was ruled by Delarue and his gang, with the big oil company waiting for the right time to run down the good people of the town. But something else is wrong, a good man's wife and kid were killed by Delarue's brother, but that doesn't matter; Delarue wants blood, and to get it he will reach out to the Sheriff of Black Creek.
Mads Mikkelsen, Mikael Persbrandt, are a wonderful part of this film, the acting is done well, they're believable to the point that you could look in their eyes and see rage, love, anger, those traits that make up a good western protagonist. Eva Green does an amazing job as the mute, Madelaine, her acting without a word, is perfect, her body language says it all, especially when she holds up that rifle. Her part is short, but when she shows up, she steals the show with her actions. And finally Jeffery Dean Morgan, one of the best antagonist ever on screen. Morgan plays Delarue the leader of a criminal organization and land owner. He plays this dude well, the way he talks, body language, all aspects of a western antagonist. Morgan is so good he's slated to be the main bad guy, Negan on the Walking Dead. What does have to do with this review, nothing i just wanted to mention it, he's a really great bad guy, the fear that he conveys is done to perfection.
The salvation film is used Arri Alexa Plus,Zeiss Ultra prime and Angenieux Optimo Lenses, to me the way it looked using theses spiffy camera made it worth it for me. The way the camera moves while the characters interact gives a western feel. The director, Kristian Levring does a wonderful job creating the world, and the environments feel like your in the 1870. The sets don't look awful, in fact they are beautiful. The Danish film Director has produced work that ranges from drama to thrillers. Fear Me Not, The Intended, The King Is Alive, to name some films. The reason i love the shots in this film, is the way the environments work with the actors. Remember old school films where the acting was so good that you kinda forgot about the awful sets. The fact that the actors in the Salvation could do there thing without the distracting backgrounds makes this western one of the top tens.
Final thoughts on the bad points of the film, remember the final fire fight. Love that Jon went after Delarue with the young teenager of the town, i even understand the whole scene between Jon and the Mayor. The main issue i have with the film is the run time. Ninety minutes long will just not cut it for me, not enough to have an epic showdown, at least for me there was to many unanswered questions. The whole Standard Atlantic oil company was a good plot arc, especially untapped oil on the surrounding land in Black Creek. With that being said the film had Delarue in a meeting with the big company, but nothing afterwards, they continued with the Jon Jensen's revenge. I get the picture was about revenge, but at least continue that trend, don't bring up other subplots, and then drop the issue between act two, and three. Even if the main characters left with the money, elaborate, let the audience know what the heck is going on, don't just ride in the sunset. The corrupt Sheriff was a great story arc, and it added flavor with him being a pastor. I know the old westerns were around ninety minutes, but in the case for this film, just don't stop and assume the audience got it, continue the story until you've reached the end. Either continue the oil story arc, played with the revenge thing, but the film brought up a torn widow, the oil company, a corrupt Sheriff, might as well make Salvation a series, because you have enough story arcs for that kinda thing. not complaining, just bringing up points i thought could've made this film better than it was, that's all.
The film was great, from the story to the acting, and the wonderful shots, to the overall feel you get as the film progresses. The Salvation is a little film by a Danish Director that pretty much only did well in some locations, but received positive reviews from the critic community. Some critics that gave Salvation a negative review are dead wrong, this film is shot to perfection, the angles, and close ups were all done well. The acting was great, i disagree highly with the critics on this one. Eva Green proved body language, eye contact are just as strong as vocal communication, because of her characters situation, she still delivered an outstanding performance.
My thoughts are simple, the Salvation was written well, and everything that came with it. Yes, it was not an Unforgiven, or a Django, or even a Fistful of Dollars, but the one thing i could tell you about this film is that it is good, and it deserves much more, so when you get a chance.check out the Salvation.
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