The Salvation is a classic, pulpy Western in every sense, and that is exactly why I liked it. The film is genre at its best, with wonderful performances and beautiful visual style. The cinematography pays homage to the visual aesthetics of Sergio Leone but adds a modern feel that gives The Salvation a truly stunning look. At times the film is breathtaking.
Mads Mikkelsen stars as Jon, a peaceful settler who is about to welcome his wife and son after 7 long years. On the ride home, two gang members kill his son and rape and kill his wife. Jon immediately gets his revenge. This sets off a fast paced showdown between the brother (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) of one of the murdered men and Jon. The murdered man's wife (Eva Green) is a mute who may not entirely agree with her husband's actions.
For the most part, this is a revenge tale as old as time. I can't say the script does anything new and even terribly interesting. The familiar plot is just a springboard for some stylistic filmmaking. Kristain Levring knows his Westerns and his Danish outsider viewpoint gives The Salvation a unique feel to it.
Eva Green is particularly good as the mute wife to one of the murdered gang members. Even minus her voice, she steals every scene she is in. The entire cast does a fine job. At 92 minutes, The Salvation has plenty to enjoy for fans of the Western.4/5
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