User reviews

this is probably one of the best western in years. It's a dark and harrowing film, a la "the proposition" or "unforgiven". This movie is not for the squeamish: innocent people are killed without a thought, and the film does a good job portraying the lawlessness and "anything goes" ethos of the times. Mads Mikkelsen is excellent as a hardworking taciturn Danish immigrant who's spent years trying to make a living in this land of opportunity. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when he brings his family to the country, and then the rest of the film is basically about survival and revenge. At 1.5 hours, the pacing is good, and there are no unnecessary scenes or fat bogging down the story. Action scenes are realistic and very well done, and there's some pretty good cinematography throughout. All in all, a very well crafted and entertaining Western!

On the one hand, 'The Salvation' is a classic western. Good citizens versus evil villains. A steam train. A stage coach. Horses. Lots of shootouts. Barren desert landscapes. A dusty frontier town. Name a western cliché, and it's there. Except Indians. They're only talked about in this film.

On the other hand, this is also a western with original, non-classic elements in it. Lots of languages. Parts are spoken in Danish, but you can also hear Spanish and Italian from time to time. Plus: a very strong female character, who radiates power although she is mute. Thirdly: the South-African locations. They're not very prominent, because they look very much like the American West. But when you know it, you can't help but think about it.

The film tells the story of a Danish immigrant, who kills two men who raped and murdered his wife. One of them is the brother of a local outlaw, who terrorizes the town until the culprit is found. But the Dane, an ex-soldier, is not easy to capture and confronts the outlaw.

Overall, this film seems to be very much inspired by the Sergio Leone westerns. The visual style is superb, and director Levring uses every trick in the book. Aereal shots, slow motion, close-ups: it's all there. I was amazed by the colours in some scenes - it looked as if they were heavily digitally enhanced. The result is astonishing. And just when you think you've seen it all, Levring surprises with a beautiful and, in a way, revealing end shot.

Sergio Leone created the spaghetti-western. Maybe the time has come now for the smørrebrød-western.

The classic western story has been done again and again, a thousand times over. A hero is wronged, he seeks revenge, gunfights ensue, retribution is attained. It's a classic formula, and fuels countless films in the genre, even today. The tricky part is, getting all the elements right. The story is a blueprint, and all other aspects must be implemented skillfully for that blueprint to result in a worthwhile finished product. The Salvation gathers a wicked cast, a beautifully twangy, reminiscent soundtrack that brings a nostalgic tear to the eye, and stunning, drone and crane centred camera work to weave us a tale that kept me enraptured from start to finish. I haven't seen a western this gorgeously rendered since John Hillcoat's The Proposition, or as unforgiving and tragic on that note. Mads Mikkelsen stoically plays Jon, a Danish immigrant in the dust haven of America's west. Mikkelsen is an actor who can say more with two seconds of silent, eye twitching screen time than eight hundred pages of dialogue, making him the perfect fit for a tortured western protagonist. On the first day he is reunited with his wife and ten year old son, they are slaughtered by evil outlaws (an opening sequence of heart wrenching dread that will leave you with a dry mouth) prompting him to take swift revenge. They happened to be affiliated with the biggest, baddest gang boss gunslinger in the region, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I've been waiting for Morgan to get a role worth his talent since Watchmen, and he takes full advantage of his ruthless prick character, injecting every moment with malice. The two are pitted against each other in a hard bitten, economically dry town with a bitter atmosphere appropriate to the depressing nature of the story. Caught between is mute Eva Green as Princess, a prisoner of Morgan's clan and survivor of maiming in her youth, at the hands of natives. Green has no dialogue, but can fill a scene with thunderous, glowering presence, and is one of my favourite actresses working today. All the elements mix perfectly, from story, which is standard but given new vital signs by the lush production design, acting and especially the score, a sadly meandering rhapsody that prompts dreams of tumbleweeds, tragedy and hard men doing bad things in the name of revenge.

If you like traditional westerns you will enjoy this film.

These days you don't get to see American westerns very often, so is nice to see that genre is not dead thanks to productions like this one from Denmark or others like The Dark Valley (Das finstere Tal).

Mads Mikkelsen plays the main character with great professionalism, without excesses. Same thing with Eva Green, portraying a scarred mute woman that talks only with her eyes.

You have the good guy, the VERY bad guy, the town full of cowards, the tormented girl, the backstabbing character. All the things you expect to find in a good old western. If you add to that the good performances, my only advice is, see this movie.

Maybe it takes Danes to do a really good Western these days? American westerns seems to be all about softer things now, while this movie was tough and, in part, quite brutal. They even killed a kid in it, which sort of never happens in American movies.

Mads Mikkelsen delivers as always. His stone face is made for this sort of thing (Clint Eastwood, anyone?). Jeffrey Dean Morgan did a good job as the bad guy and Eva Green was really cool as a mute and strong woman.

The Swedish feminist newspapers hated this movie because it was about two strong men, the brothers. I for one can't see what they were complaining about, given Green's role. And in any case, even if Green wasn't there: Why can't a movie be about two strong men?

"The Salvation" drew my curiosity for two things: the lead and the fact that it's a Danish western.

The atmosphere of the wild-west is really well done and has immersed me in the mid 1800's, and with a well-paced narrative and suspense of a typical revenge-story told effectively.

Mads Mikkelsen shines as the lead but the overall cast is good. Compliments to the screenwriter, too, for creating several characters that I would wish to see more of.

However, what stops me from giving "The Salvation" an 8 or more is the ending, the very final scene. For me, it feels out of place, fake- looking and preachy. It's funny how less than a minute of a scenery- footage can lessen the quality of the entire story.

If you like Open Range, 3:10 to Yuma, True Grit and Unforgiven, you should certainly check this movie out.

Good fun shoot em up Danish American tale of Western justice and revenge. A proper cowboy yarn.

Well worth the watch.

Greetings again from the darkness. It is initially a bit disorienting to settle in to watch a Western shot in South Africa by Danish filmmakers with a story based in 19th century America. However, any doubts are quickly forgotten thanks to terrific writing, powerful acting, and creative camera work set to a distinctive soundtrack.

Blood, dirt, politics, true loss and crackling gun play accompany what is, at its core, a story of vengeance … and of course, good vs evil. We open in 1871 America, seven years after Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) and his brother Peter (Mikael Persbrandt) left Denmark after fighting in the war. Today is the day that Jon's wife (singer Nanna Oland Fabricius) and son (Toke Lars Bjarke) arrive, and the separation has been tough on all. The reunion is destroyed in the most awful manner imaginable thanks to a couple of drunken ex-cons sharing the stagecoach. Of course, salvation and vengeance would not be required if there were no turning point, and Jon's natural reaction is what sparks the real fireworks in the story.

One of the bad guys on the wagon is the brother of powerful local gangster Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). We quickly learn he is not a rational man and cares little for anything other than making money and gaining revenge on his brother's killer. Delarue stands for all the bullies of any era, while Jon and his brother Pete represent the huddled masses incited to action only through gross injustice. There are many details and elements that set this above the traditional western, and one of those is the presence of Madelaine (Eva Green) who was married to Delarue's murdered brother, and was previously disfigured and muted by Native Americans.

It's impossible not to notice the similarities and influences of John Ford, Sergio Leone and the classic High Noon (cowardly townspeople, morals corrupted under duress). Director Kristian Levring even superimposes the very familiar vistas of Monument Valley into some shots, and it's done so well that our eyes simply accept the landscape. Mr. Levring also presents us a uniquely lit stagecoach in the moonlight scene that was beautiful to look at, despite the violent nature of what was happening. Composer Kasper Winding (brother to director Nicolas Winding Refn) adds a distinctive guitar that recalls the haunting effects of Ennio Morricone's soundtrack to Leone's classic Once Upon a Time in America … a very effective complement.

The lead actors are superb and well cast – though Jeffrey Dean Morgan goes 180 degrees against type as the evil-to-the-bone Delarue. Eva Green speaks volumes with her fiery eyes, and Mikael Persbrandt (who was so great in In A Better World) adds to the quiet-wild feel of the film. The bulk of the action falls to Mads Mikkelsen, who thanks to Casino Royale, The Hunt, and TV's "Hannibal" has become one of the finest actors working today. His facial tics and emotional depth convey much with few words, and his character's expert marksmanship with a Remington rifle is a welcome shift from the spraying automatic weaponry too common in film these days.

The politics of taking advantage of the unaware weak runs throughout the films, especially with the methodical "land grab" occurring so that the rich can capitalize on the "sticky oil" spoiling the water wells. You may not be a fan of Westerns, but there is much going on in this excellent script – and the visuals combined with expert acting should allow you to appreciate what expert filmmaking this is (especially given the low budget).

By the Danish, and why not? Especially if it's done as well as this was/is. Mads Mikkelsen has proved himself worthy of leading roles even in (his not native tongue) English. But there is a bit of Danish thrown into the mix with this. But it's not the spoken language that will get your attention with this movie.

It's the framing, it's the "picture" language it speaks. This looks as down and dirty as Westerns come and it does a really good job throwing us into a situation Western fans know very well. So while the story itself is not new, we do get a very well made movie, that you should be able to enjoy a lot.

Nothing more, nothing less, it's exactly what it seems to be. Well shot and well acted, it is a simple but effective film that delivers on both action and drama.

Saw this on premiere-night in Denmark and left the cinema relieved and with a smile on my face. Director Kristian Levring delivers a very believable, dark and uncompromising western set in a very classic western atmosphere.

The story is straightforward and although it moves along slowly at times (fast paced at others), it's quite intense and is generally beautifully shot.

If you're going for a feel good movie, this is not it, but if you like classic westerns, you'll enjoy it.

Mads Mikkelsen and Mikael Persbrandt deliver solid performances as the danish brothers Jon and Peter who've emigrated to America after fighting the Germans in the danish/German war of 1864. But for me, Eva Green steals the show as the mute Madelaine (princess). She has a very mystical and powerful presence and leaves you wondering, wanting more.

All in all a very enjoyable picture that is a great testament to how far danish cinema has come. This is quite uncharacteristic for a typical danish movie, but Levring really pulls it off and I think any lover of westerns will find this a solid addition to the batch of quality westerns in the past 10 years (The Proposition, 3:10 to Yuma, True grit, Django Unchained etc.) It doesn't quite reach those levels, but it's close and it's enjoyable.

The Salvation is in the best sense an old school Western about a crime committed and revenge taken. A solid production and cast give the inclined audience an entertaining ride. Mad Mikkelsen performance is superb - so if you want something like 3:10 to Yuma, Unforgiven, Open Range and the like on your menu, The Salvation will do just fine.

'The Salvation' is a Warner Bros Western, that is filmed in South Africa, with European actors, and a strong Danish input, which captures well the central themes of traditional Westerns.

Film opens at a train station where we meet two Danish brothers, one played by Mads Mikkelsen, the other by Mikael Persbrandt, who looks a bit like Kevin Costner, or even Lee Van Cleef! Very strong performances are given by the two Danish actors!

We quickly move to the start of a stage-coach journey, that starts with great foreboding. Modern-day commuters and travellers, trapped in confined spaces, will empathize, as the suspense and tension builds.

This film is rated a 15 in the UK for strong violence. Very strong in fact! The violence is bloody, brutal, and grim! It also makes disturbing and uncomfortable viewing.

The two brothers have lived in the USA for a number of years. Thus through them, and others, we get the impression of a growing country expanding westwards with incoming immigrants. John Ford was always careful to populate his Wild West with 'Swede Larson' types of immigrants, reflecting reality, so this film fits in well with that vision.

John Ford famously, often filmed in Monument Valley. 'The Salvation' gives us a similar look with the location shooting that was actually filmed in South Africa. There are the same strong colours that we associate with the traditional classic Western, but there are also weather extremes, no doubt reflecting reality too. Homage is also paid to those old classics too, in some shots, but done discreetly though.

The supporting cast is universally good. Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays well the part of Delarue, one of the nastiest characters to inhabit the West, and Westerns. Eva Green wows in a strong female role, and Glaswegian Douglas Henshall, and the ever-reliable Jonathon Pryce, also fill-out believable characters. Finally, giving us the cream on the cake, is Eric Cantona. Familiar to the British for his long career in the UK, before he turned to the silver-screen, we now see him most often in an entertaining little beer ad. Here, in 'The Salvation', Mr Cantona in a part so small that it is almost a cameo, is able to give some authenticity to this period-drama.

Historical note: The film is described as being set in the Wild West of the 1870's. Thus this is after the American Civil War of 1861- 1865. It is also after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. However this is not very important at all, as European politics do not intrude into the story of this Danish Western, except as the merest of a sub-text.

It is a rare treat to get a Western these days, however if you are a fan of this genre, and as long as you have a strong stomach for the disturbing and violent scenes, then you will appreciate this Western film. 10/10.

The American West in the 1870s. A European settler, Jon Jensen (Mads Mikkelsen), has just welcomed his wife and son to the country when they are kidnapped and murdered. He takes revenge on the murderers, only to discover that one was the brother of a local land baron, Henry Delarue. Delarue runs the local town with a brutal hand. Now he wants vengeance on the man who killed his brother and the local townspeople are too scared of him to stand up to him. Jon is fighting more than just the local thugs, he is facing the entire town...

Pretty good, though had the potential to be great. Started very well, with a grittiness not always found in westerns. Jon Jensen's predicament was very intriguing and seemed hopeless, making it very engaging. The feeling of powerlessness and injustice added to this.

Some good action scenes too, especially towards the end.

However, from a point the plot becomes rather one-dimensional. The end result is far too neat, predictable and easy. There's no twists, no real dilemmas, no development, things just happen without much impediment or anything unexpected occurring.

Ultimately, still reasonably good, but a bit disappointing in that it was set up for something even better.

Out of wreckage of the Danish defeat in the war of 1864 , Jon abd his brother crossed the Atlantic to forge a new future for themselves . For seven years , they struggled to get a foothold in an unifamiliar land . Seven years in which Jon longed for his wife, Maria, and their son. Seven years of a family apart . Set in a new country : America 1870 , an European settler : Mads Mikkelsen , reunites his family : wife and child , going a find to his brother : Mikael Persbrandt , at the local ranch . Along the way he suffers a real tragedy from a band of cutthroats who go in a stagecoach . Later on , he seeks for revenge , but the brother called Delarue : Jeffrey Dean Morgan, of one bandit wants vengeance against the settler who murdered him . Bad Men Will Bleed .

A twilight and furious Western with a lot of violence , pursuits , thrills , noisy action and spectacular showdown . This thrilling picture develops the traditional issue of Spaghetti Western : a relentless and mutual revenge . As there are two merciless vendettas , the first in which our starring tries to avenge the death of his family , and the second in which a ruthless local baron attempts to revenge death of his brother . There is also the usual cowardice and fear of the members of a small community that betray him and force two two brothers protagonists to hunt down enemies alone . Here stands out a great cast giving awesome interpretation , such as : Mads Mikkelsen as the brave and avenger hero, Mikael Persbrandt as his valiant brother , Eva Greene as the mute mistreated herorine , Douglas Henshall as town priest/sheriff , Jonathan Pryce as a coward undertaker and the baddie Jeffrey Dean Morgan repeating an extremely villain role like in Walking Dead .

Special mention for the colorful and evocative cinematography by Janes Schlosser. Though no shot in USA , but in Cullinan, Gauteng , Johannesburg, Sout Africa. As well as moving and exciting musical score by Winding . Kristian Levring writes the interesting script along with Thomas Jensen. Theis Danish picture was compellingly directed by Kristian Levring . Here Levring leaves his "85 Dogma manifest", as he was one of the fourth founders along with Lars Von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg and Soren Kragh-Jacobsen , by making a classic and violent Western about a lonely antihero seeking for vengeance . Rating 7/10. Above average .

As westerns go this feature film was above par but still left me with an appetite for wanting a lot more. Understanding that the Danish are not well known for the classic western genre they did develop a relatively good cast with the lead actor Mads Mikkelsen playing Jon Jensen. Now Jon arrived in the United States six (6) years prior to get a head start on building a life and a ranch before sending for his wife and ten (10) year old son from Denmark. Jon also has his brother Peter Jensen (played by Mikael Persbrandt) around as his trusted side kick and all around bad ass brother.

No sooner do Jon's wife and son arrive by train for the long awaited reunite and single embrace than the three are loaded on to a stage coach with two vagabonds who just got out of prison and who have a hankering for some cheap booze and female company. The plot is easily understood that these two criminals want Jon's wife for their own relief and quickly turf Jon off of the stage coach leaving his newly arrived wife and son to the desires of these two bums.

This film is not like Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman's Unforgiven where the good versus evil is delivered with panache'. Jon does catch up with the stage coach but he is too late. So Jon does what any struggling farmer from the old west would do, he quickly exterminates these two cockroaches who have taken away the lives of his wife and only son.

What Jon does not know is that one of the two cockroaches that Jon has taken out his revenge upon is the brother of the feared gang leader Henry Delarue who will want his revenge quickly and with no compassion. Cast as the villainous Henry Delarue is Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is equipped with the stereotyped black beard and an ankle length black leather coat, and a dozen or two cowboys that jump at his every command.

As is the case in most westerns there usually is a scene by a late night campfire where the cowboys are eating re-fried beans and black coffee from tin cups. But since this is a Danish production they chose to leave out a common camp fire scene and we get the re-fried beans scenario replaced and way overdone by a burned out CGI town that is the hole in a wall hangout for Henry Delarue and his gang.

As I am a devoted fan of the western genre I despise when the computer generated imagery (CGI) is utilized to save production costs and time. The Salvation utilized CGI technology in Delarue's burned out town throughout the film. I did like Mads Mikkelsen's performance even though I find it difficult to believe that someone who is capable of taking out the villainous Henry Delarue and a dozen gang members was the same farmer who was incapable of killing two low life cockroaches on a stage coach after getting the upper hand on them.

As westerns go I do believe it is worth watching. As for the re- fried beans reference the film was more than a bit over cooked with the plot done a thousand times before. The CGI was unwarranted as well as was the mute and saddened Madelaine wasted on Eva Green's hollow characterization of the gangster's Delarue moll.

What's that smell? A 6 out of 10 rating. More coffee and beans please!

The Salvation is a 2014 Danish film, directed by Kristian Levring, the film boasts an very impressive cast including; Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jefferey Dean Morgan and Jonathan Pryce.

The film is set in 1870s America, it focuses on Jon (Mikkelsen) a peaceful Danish settler,who after getting revenge on his family's murderers, which infuriates the local gang leader, Delarue (Morgan) who in turn wants revenge on Jon. The story isn't the most complex, actually it is rather simple but it is a very enjoyable ride. There are a few very exciting action scenes throughout the film but the real focus is on this man, Jon, who has lost everything and how he copes with that.

The film was very interesting being a Danish western, its nice to see a Western at all, they are probably the least made genre of film now days, so seeing a western is a pleasant surprise.

Mikkelsen is great in this role and it is nice seeing a different side of him, he tends to usually be a villain so i thought it was refreshing to see him the other way round. As was Jeffrey Dean Morgan who played a very good bad guy, he was intimidating and evil with a sympathetic side for his brother which was very intriguing. The most surprising actor in the film was Eva Green, who plays Madelaine, a mute widow, Green was amazing in the role and it was a surprise to see a character like this on screen, of course being a mute she couldn't speak at all and acted a lot with her eyes, but you knew exactly what she was feeling and wanted to say.

The film looks beautiful and is shot in Johannesburg, South Africa, they built sets for the town which looks exactly like you think a western town would look like.

The Salvation is a very fun, enjoyable film to watch, it boast great performances from the leads but isn't an absolutely must watch, but it is a nice place holder until the next great Western debuts.

True cinéphiles will get my reference, and that is how I felt, having a second western for the evening after watching this film.

Well I may dust off "Silverado" or "Unforgiven" for tonight!

I am so glad westerns are made from all over, New Zeland, Mexico, Denmark, Italy, and I completely disagree with the "pastry" reference from one of the reviewers...

Denmark has proved enough about good film-making, not just that, Hollywood itself likes re-making Denmark's series/ movies (Bron/Broen -The Bridge, "The Killing", "The girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "Headhunters", "Easy money",to mention some of the list)

And Mads Mikkelsen, has become one of my favorite actors he is what Liam Neeson, in my book,has never accomplished, that is... real acting. Whenever I watch Neeson I think he is going to burst laughing in the middle of a dramatic scene.

Well this is a review for a good western, and even though Sergio Leone was awesome, "The Salvation" stands on its own.

The best of all, there is not gratuity nudity or offensive language, but it has all the elements and a good story behind the shootings and violence, not great but good enough!.

My only complain would be the acting of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Delarue, and thankfully Eva Green do not speak a word through the whole movie (I also believe she may burst laughing in the middle of a dramatic scene).

After my meanness towards Neeson and Green I have nothing else but recommend "The Salvation"

A straight up western starring Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffery Dean Morgan, and even Eric Cantona. Danish production, shot in South Africa, it looked convincingly American west. It's very old school in its story, good guy vs bad guy, revenge, gun fights, the whole nine yards. And it's a pretty fine movie too.

Danish guy waits for his wife and son to arrive in America to start new lives, but bad guys are going to spoil their plan. There's no way he's going to let them bad guys go, after toiling for 7 years to start a new life only to see it destroyed as soon as his family arrives. And did I mention he fought wars in the Danish army before he moved to America? Oh yeah, this Dane know how to shoot straight too.

You really do get the feeling that this guy wants no trouble and just wants to get on with his life, but it's trouble that comes looking for him. A lot of new westerns tend to be "different" and avoid the straight up good vs bad revenge trope because it's been done to death during the genre's heyday. But I think it's a good time revisit that trope with today's new talent and technology. The story may be cliché, but everything else feels fresh. The best western I've watched in a long time.

'The Salvation' turned out to be much better than I was expecting. This is an old-school revenge Western with modern elements that has the feeling of a big budget production. Everything from the acting to the cinematography feels top level and very polished. Mads Mikkelsen is convincing in the lead and Eva Green gives a compelling performance as the silent Madelaine.

The plot is interesting enough to hold your attention throughout and the relatively short running length makes for a welcome change, especially for this genre. Many Westerns are unnecessarily padded out and can become quite boring, but 'The Salvation' gets on with telling the story and every scene has meaning. It has action, tension, and violence in abundance. An impressive film all round.

Set in the Old West in 1871 we meet Jon (Mads Mikkelsen)and Peter (Mikael Persbrandt) both soldiers who fought in the war of 1864 in their old country. Here Jon has been waiting to be reunited with his wife and son after a seven year gap. Only as soon as they arrive they befall a terrible crime and the only way Jon is going to be able to re right the wrong is by fighting back.

Now to say any more could be a plot spoiler – needless to say this is a classic western of the revenge genre. It paints the bad guys really bad and the good guys flawed but essentially 'right'. There is ambiguity too and there are the townsfolk with their own agendas and greed and power stalking the prairie.

What makes this outstanding is the acting, the musical score, the make up and the fantastic direction. Director Kristian Levring is clearly a fan of John Ford and those of you who know your westerns will see a few shots framed a la 'The Searchers'. Still I see this as flattery and this is truly an excellent film that will only go to prove that as a genre the western is alive, kicking and doing really well – absolutely recommended

I first saw Mads Mikkelsen in Valhalla Rising when it came out and then again a few years later. Impressive, violent and psychedelic film. After that I started looking for other films he'd stared in. I was impressed with this film. Most modern westerns are either based on the "budy" movie concept (which I can't stand) or are just insipid wastes of time from my perspective. This film took me back to the days of Clint Eastwood in his heyday and Charles Bronson in "Once Upon A Time In The West". It held my attention and was never slow. A little predictable at points for a movie watcher and reader like myself, but when it ended I didn't say to myself "There's an hour and a half of my life I can never get back." like I unfortunately have to say about a lot of films. If you're in the mood for a good "revenge" western, this is your film.

I was looking forward to seeing a danish take on the western genre, turned out to be an uninspired and poorly executed film. What a waste of good talent, especially Mads Mikkelsen.

The only thing different about The Salvation is some light danish dialogue, everything plot related has not only been done before but it has done better.

Some scenes look gorgeous but like the plot the visuals only get worse as the movie goes on. The quick cuts between real and fake smoke and fire is very jarring especially when it goes on for so long. The gun and blood effects aren't top notch either but unlike the CGI they're not completely unbelievable.