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Salvador
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Salvador

1986
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 2m
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Avg Percentile 62.91% from 609 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(609)
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Rated 09 Nov 2007
63
60th
The way the film creeps ever more serious thoughtfulness into its basically frivolous demeanor helps to redeem it as a war movie in the same way that its initially amoral hero's gradual conscientious awakening redeems him as a human being. Thematically kindred to Peter Weir's Year of Living Dangerously.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
72
81st
This has some whiff of eighties cheesiness about it, and you can tell that there are significant parts that were chopped out in editing, but the sensibility and perspective are essentially good, and it is almost certainly Stone’s best film. To be clear, this isn't a story about a character who “slowly transforms” or develops a conscience (he always had one, in his weaselly and intemperate way) but about a flawed but well-meaning man negotiating the difficulties of an increasingly dire situation.
Rated 19 Jun 2011
80
71st
An olio of simply absurd aspects mixed together that defy explanation. It's so tonally incoherent that I could barely pin a concept to it until someone in the accompanying documentary mentioned Hunter S. Thompson. It truly is some kind of oddly wonderful bastardization of Gonzo journalism in fictional form. James Woods is a fantastically eclectic lead, paving the way towards moral oblivion amidst the backdrop of a frightening reality in 1980s El Salvador. Hell, even Jim Belushi is good in this.
Rated 19 Feb 2024
75
76th
I thought the opening sequence with it's camera/machine gun equation impactful and interesting. Good movie that deals with some really serious shit. While there is an awkwardness to some of the pacing and editing, the point makes its way across without trouble.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
91
95th
Stone goes two for two in 1986, delivering a scathing critique of the US involvement in central America in the 80's. Even Jim Belushi gives a wonderful performance and the some of the events really churn your stomach, as they should.
Rated 10 Mar 2024
70
42nd
I think this film works on and off despite having the Hunter S. Thompson problem. Robert Boyle just isn't a very interesting guy. This is a good, but fairly disjointed depiction of the horrors that happened in El Salvador in the early 80's. I just keep wondering why the movie insists on telling me more about Boyle. Despite those doubts, James Woods is great in this film.
Rated 01 Jun 2015
8
80th
Full of righteous anger. Probably James Woods' greatest role; he's manic and paranoid and all over the place. His character begins as opportunistic riff-raff but slowly transforms into a conscientious objector, especially as events unravel and his sympathy with the people around him grows. I generally hate Oliver Stone but this seems to be some kind of fluke.
Rated 13 Dec 2010
72
80th
Stone lays on the swelling music a bit too thick at times and having most of the Salvadorans speak English was weak. You have to respect the size of his balls though for making this at the height of the Reagan era, leading it to be one of his most overlooked films. Woods & Belushi have great asshole chemistry.
Rated 05 May 2012
78
75th
Very gonzo: sixties idealism, and seventies cynicism meets Reaganite central America. A film full of passion and righteous anger but still great to watch - Woods is an absolute blast, such energy!
Rated 21 Aug 2013
87
78th
Angry, passionate political drama slowly sneaks up on you thanks to Stone's masterful balancing act of material that seems tonally at odds - as a Thompsonesque reprobate searching for redemption (a phenomenal Woods) set against an undoubtedly partisan, but gripping, harrowing, depiction of political strife in Salvador. Discordant militaristic score also adds to the uncomfortable atmosphere, leads to a finale which feels surprisingly (and depressingly) relevant to recent world political events.
Rated 23 Feb 2008
90
74th
For some movies, the measure of how good they are is how badly one does NOT want to see it again....like "Casualties of War," this exceedingly depressing story is told so well, you won't ever want to see it again.
Rated 28 Nov 2009
86
83rd
Belushi and Woods are hard to like, but excellent.
Rated 02 Oct 2013
83
75th
83.000
Rated 28 Jan 2016
79
61st
Its no Natural Born Killers, James Woods gets a bit windbaggy in parts and the whole thing gets a bit up its own ass, but still probably one of Oliver Stone's strongest efforts.
Rated 21 Feb 2007
75
89th
Stunning.
Rated 07 Apr 2007
90
86th
James Woods and James Belushi as American party animals loose in a Central America that's going to hell. This is really something
Rated 29 May 2010
85
67th
85
Rated 22 Aug 2012
85
59th
It's probably the only moment where Oliver Stone really nailed political filmmaking without coming off like a jerk. James Woods is honestly a national treasure. I don't even know why, but I love that guy in anything.
Rated 08 Dec 2014
65
56th
pretty clunky
Rated 15 Dec 2011
84
77th
84.375
Rated 03 Jun 2009
90
97th
You gotta get close to get to the truth.
Rated 25 Jan 2011
86
90th
I was surprised at how good this was considering it has Jim Belushi in it -- it's kind of like a political 'Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas' -- dark yet also quite funny at times. Great performances, good writing, and tightly paced and directed. Thumbs up!!
Rated 14 Sep 2018
60
26th
I liked all the scenes where James Woods wasn't mugging for the camera.
Rated 03 Oct 2020
90
99th
A frantic alcohol-feuled descent into hell.
Rated 28 Jan 2021
60
50th
This solid war drama, in which Woods chews the scenery a little too much at times, packs a punch.

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