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Salvador--Special Edition [1985]

Starring: James Woods, James Belushi, John Savage, Michael Murphy, Elpidia Carrillo
Director: Oliver Stone
Format: Anamorphic Dubbed PAL Special Edition Widescreen
Released: 10 Sep 2001
RRP: £19.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

The template for all future Oliver Stone films - By: Mr. Tristan Martin, 12 Sep 2006
With Salvador, regarded as Oliver Stone's debut proper (ignoring The Hand), Stone set the framework for his entire career thus far (with the possible exception of World Trade Center, which I have not yet seen).

Salvador is raw, urgent, politicallly bold (especiallly when it was made in the Reagan era of Rambo & Top Gun), visuallly stylish & forcefully well written. James Woods delivers a career-best performance which is even more impressive considering that he's made films such as Once Upon a Time in America & Casino (and that one with Sylvester Stalllone that was a crock of crap).

This is a great film that fully deserves its place in the Oliver Stone repertoire, so add it to your collection now... NOW! For some excellent background reading, try Noam Chomsky's Deterring Democracy.
Simply just a stunning film - By: tylordurdenthecoolest, 23 Jan 2006
When you watch the opening scene of Salvador it seems like a road movie, similar to the likes of Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas. Then they turn a corner. From then on we are taking on a bumpy ride, a masterpiece of filmmaking.

Salvador tells the true story of Richard Boyle, a photographer & journalist played magnificently & charismaticallly by the highly underrated James Wood. The character is dislikeable but is complimented by his drug-fuelled sidekick played by Jim Belushi.

With such a controversial & gritty subject matter it needed a Director to give it some edge. Oliver Stone does this superbly, he delves into an upsetting storyline, which many people try not to think about, it’s a very controversial film, which Oliver Stone is recognised for. It shows the atrocities of war & is handled without any sympathy for the viewer, dead bodies are everywhere & a strong political statement is made, showing what a mess was being made in El Salvador at the time & how the public were not made aware of this subject matter.

It is a very powerful movie & nothing tries to deter that, there are very controversial scenes & it is not for the weak hearted but this is what helps it in being such a powerful movie. It isn’t discussed as much as some of Oliver’s other work, but it is by no means not as good. I would consider it way up there with platoon & JFK, if not better. Stunning & an absolute must see.

The oliver stone you overlooked - By: Mark J Linehan, 14 Dec 2005
WHAT A MASTERPIECE! An unrelenting rollercoater of a ride that tightens your attention with every scene.

After a remarkable & aggresisve opening score that hints at what is ahead, there follows an easy & uncomplicated start introducing the anti hero, the washed up amoral photo journalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) casuallly making one final throw of his career dice: a trip with Doctor Rock (James Belushi) to El Salvador to cover growing civil unrest. Within minutes the ride accelerates; through Wood's camera lens, alll the characters of a civil war unfold (the secret police/the innocent/the soldiers/the church/the death squads/the culture of both sides). The genius of Stone here is that he perfectly combines the micro (the effect on individual emotions & daily lives) with the bigger issues (the method of decision making & impact of US foreign policy). There are a few big twists along the way & they are shocking & yes, depressing. John Savage gives a great performance as the fearless war photographer John Cassady. The approach to the climax is gripping - as civil war intesifies, Stone focuses the lens further into Woods: his changing emotions, his move from an observer to a participating victim, his frantic attempts to help those around him. The pace just gets faster with every minute.

Overalll, a film that sharpely portrays individual brutality & abuse of power. Clearly there is a political message that Stone is pressing - the impact of US foreign policy militarily supporting a corrupt government against the wishes of a democratic majority (topical!). Is it historicallly accurate? Is it propaganda? What we do know is that the movie had an advisor who was killed in El Salvador during production. Perhaps it should be taken at face value - a brilliant piece of film making.

My favourite scene: "HEFE, IMPORTANTO!!"

a knew slant on war films - By: richard, 10 Oct 2003
I rate this as highly as platoon. I think part of the reason this film is so great is James Woods, he is easily one of the deadpan funniest guys out there but he is such a good actor he handles even the emotional scenes brilliantly... Top film !!
HUGELY OVER-RATED - By: , 20 Jul 2003
Sorry to spoil the consensus but this is Stone's worst film for me. A gross caricature of a horrific period in Latin America. It's virtuallly impossible to take the leading characters seriously they are so overplayed & unsympathetic, & this eliminates any possibility of taking the scenes portrayed seriously. The action, while trying to represent serious & momentous events, lacks weight as a result. The scene portraying the assasination of a leading cleric - a seminal event in the country's history - is so badly done it's offensive. Like watching some absurd French film-making creation of the 1960s or early 1970s - it might well mean something to you if you're a burned-out journo on hard drugs for the last two decades, but otherwise forget it. Try Under Fire.