The Salvation

♡

This was possibly the worst 1hr32min of my movie watching time EVER spent. The story in spaghetti westerns was deeper and more believable than this. It was like it was written and directed by a 1st year film student as a project. At that it would have gotten a D for copying every western film ever made and putting them into this garbage. I feel sorry for anyone else who sits through this, but you will come back and say Sirben, I should have listened to you. This movie is garbage. There is nothing that leads to any believable or even surprising twists, content, or even intelligent story writing. This is not a spoiler because if you have ever seen Unforgiven, AMC's Hell on Wheels, and High Plains Drifter. YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE already !!!!!!!!

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Magandang pelikula!

Six years after his last movie, Kristian Levring returns as director and writer for "The Salvation". Not only did he get assistance from Anders Thomas Jensen, who worked on the Foreign Language Academy Award winning Haevnen, but the star of the movie is probably Denmark's most known actor these days: Mads Mikkelsen. The result is a quality western film. Yes it is predictable (as most other westerns including many of the classics), but that takes away nothing from it's magnificence. I had a wonderful 90 minutes at the theater watching this. The story can be summarized quickly. The family of the main character gets killed early on. Now we did not get a revenge story that lasts for the whole movie, but Mikkelsen's character (a former soldier) kills those responsibly right away. Overkill even, but it was somehow funny how he kept pushing bullets into the killer's corpse. Sadly, one of the guys he shoots is the brother of the übervillain who terrorizes a whole town. One thing I really liked here, was the Casino Royale reunion between Mikkelsen and Green (and even some of the visual effects people). Those two have great chemistry. The villains are played by Javier-Bardem lookalike Jeffrey Dean Morgan, former soccer infant terrible Eric Cantona and some others who may not look as primary antagonists to Mikkelsen's character here, but somehow can be classified as these as well. If you have seen some of his other work, you will know how great of an actor Mikkelsen is. He delivered during the scenes when he was mourning for his wife, son and brother, but looking at the whole thing, he is possibly even too good for the role he got to play here. Not too long ago, he starred in another revenge movie ("Michael Kohlhaas"), and here he is back to his best. A great choice for a guys' movie night, or for girls who like westerns and don't mind very graphic violence.

wow i want more, i've been waiting along time for a half decent western and what i found was amazing. I had just watched the classic "the outlaw josie wales" a few days before. which is in my opinion the benchmark of a western, I was not disappointed, the greatest westerns were made by some Spanish guy years ago and with a bit of luck the genre has a new patron in a danish guy. It was like watching josie for the first time and the story is along those lines, wife and child are murdered, man goes for revenge. i loved it, after being let down by soooo many b-grade westerns i was not hopeful about this one, but after it started i was surprised the lead is a Eastwood type character, quiet,sad and tough, makes a change from the usual Hollywood yank hero, loud, brash and over the top. 10 out of 10 because its the best western since old Clint hung up his six shooter, maybe it will inspire that old legend to make one last stand and get back in the saddle.

Great movie, great performances, particularly Mads Mikkelsen, a extraordinary actor capable of unique performances, like Casino Royal or The Hunt. The best thing about this movie is that is a simple western story, without CGI or complicated plot, is just hard, straight and cruel, making you remind off certain westerns made in the 70's, but this one has 1h30 minutes, it doesn't borrow you with landscapes or infinity long horse rides. The only bad thing i have to say about this picture is Jefrey Dean Morgan performance, its just bad and incapable of captivating the audience. Just imagine if Mikkelsen was the bad guy, what villain it will be. So please, do this European guys a favor and watch this movie, not only you will not regret but you will enjoy a movie made in 2014 without CGI, naked Girls, catch phrases or dumb script. 8/10

This movie has the same feeling as Mr. Eastwoods Classic "Unforgiven". Not overplayed but with believable actors and settings it creates this special raw feeling that thrills and drags the viewer into the story. Only the best westerns do that. The reason why I like these two westerns so much is the touch of reality and good story telling - I think that USA frontier life in those days was both rough and hard and the weak did not make it. Mads Mikkelsen and Mr.Persbrandt are a pleasure to Watch - so is Eva Green - although she does not have any lines she speaks convincingly with her eyes. If you like Unforgiven go see this one - you will not be disappointed. 9/10