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Angel Vargas, Colby Chester, Cynthia Gibb

Director Oliver Stone (Platoon, JFK) offers up this brilliant, engrossing true-life account of the violent civil war in El Salvador as told through the perspective of a has-been journali...( read more  read more... )st trying for one last grasp at glory and finding the true horror of war. James Woods is freelance journalist Richard Boyle, who leaves San Francisco broke with his drug-addled, disc-jockey buddy (Jim Belushi) to cover the escalating conflict and hopefully return to his former stature as a war correspondent. What he finds is a nation torn by random violence, shifting ideologies, poverty, and the malevolent influence of the United States. Boyle tries to make sense of the brutality he sees while extracting his girlfriend from the war zone and saving his own life. Featuring John Savage (The Deer Hunter) as an earnest photojournalist, this is a fascinating and riveting depiction of the bloody strife that tore apart a nation and mirrored the disillusionment of the Vietnam era. --Robert Lane

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84% liked it

6,789 ratings

R, 122 min.

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Release Date: April 23, 1986

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DVD Release Date: June 5, 2001

Stats: 366 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (366)

  • garyX
    August 25, 2009
    garyX
    Has-been gonzo journalist James Woods sees the civil unrest in El Salvador as a opportunity to make some money but when his Salvadoran girlfriend and her family become embroiled in the violence his attitudes soon change. Salvador is a damning criticism of the US' continued and s...( read more)hameful interference in the affairs of foreign countries. The Reagan era saw the US giving aid to any despot or monster for the sole reason of the fact they were not part of the communist "threat", and funded the military junta in El Salvador despite their atrocious human rights record. The core of the film is Woods' tirade against the US' "military adviser": "Yes I'm left wing but that doesn't make me a communist! When will you people learn to tell the difference?" Showing many of the horrific events of the conflict with honesty and passion, Woods is perfect for the part and is ably supported by John Savage as a photo journalist looking for the "perfect shot" and James Belushi as his debauched companion. The only real flaw is that amidst Stone's heartfelt preaching he forgets the human element, the plot barrelling along with little thought for pacing or emotional connection with the characters. It's a thought provoking and well made film however, and probably Stone's best work.
  • kenstachnik
    April 14, 2008
    kenstachnik
    My favorite Oliver Stone film. Powerhouse performances from Woods and Belushi.
  • gor41
    April 11, 2007
    gor41
    Oliver Stone's best movie with James Woods on fire !
  • RashHunt
    February 28, 2006
    RashHunt
    James Wood is quite accurate in one of Stone's most beloved films - but despite its obvious techinical value and its strong performances, I've never thought it to be all that impressive... even on a historical note.
  • ileo
    February 8, 2008
    ileo
    Fantastic movie!
  • odonoghuematthew
    November 16, 2009
    odonoghuematthew
    Best Original Screenplay 1986
  • MikeDowswell
    October 21, 2009
    MikeDowswell
    Wow...has to be one of the best journalist war movies out there. I reckon this is the best Oliver Stone film ive seen so far.
  • zachdiehard
    October 8, 2009
    zachdiehard
    Episodic to a fault, yet still engrossing.
  • DrMaverickRanger
    August 29, 2009
    DrMaverickRanger
    Together with the INCREDIBLE photography of that God amongst mere photogs, that Bang-Bang savant, and 'Lude lover, Kevin Carter, I have this movie to thank for helping me to decide which career to chose - Medicine or Photojournalism.
    I've always loved writing, and always wanted ...( read more)a career involving some sort of artistic expression, and the first time I watched this movie (in my early teens, when I was going through a more rebellious, anarchic, marxist, guerrila phase than I have ever gone through) the kind of career that involved getting up close and personal with those types who made Yasar Arafat scarves, aviators, and che / fidel hats look so unbelievably awesome, while brandishing Kaleshnikovs and pangas and taking over obscure South and Central American, Eastern European, and African countries (only to turn them into a new fascist dictatorial regime, backed by a new capitalist (possibly pseudo-marxist) global giant), look positively orgasmic in its awesomeness!!!
    Then I watched the movie again, and again, and again, and I realised that there are at least 2 types of humanitarians in a crisis situation: there is the humanitarian who feeds the starving child, pours water and throws blankets over the flames spewing from the self-immolating Buddhist monk, and does everything they can to stop the gang of angry vigilantes killing the man who may or may not be from an opposing political party; then their is the humanitarian who takes picture of all of the above situations - he may sound callous and warped, but his job is a fuckload more difficult, probably more important (he is afterall broadcasting to the world the atrocities that the first humanitarian is, in a sense, destroying the proof of), and requires a lot more courage.
    Thanks to this movie, and, as I mentioned before, the INCREDIBLE work of Kevin Carter, I realised I lack the balls to be the second type of humanitarian, and would be quite happy and comfortable helping out where I can as humanitarian number 1...
    Back to the actual movie though - AMAZING storyline; SUPERB acting (this movie made me LOVE James Woods, James Belushi, and John Savage (although I already loved him from Hair and Deer Hunter); AWE-INSPIRING cinematography; and freakin' amazing locations - wowie San Salvador is a beautiful place!!!
  • nrmohanraj
    August 5, 2009
    nrmohanraj
    Salvador is a 1986 film which tells the story of an American journalist in El Salvador covering the Salvadoran civil war. While trying to get footage, he becomes entangled with both leftist guerrillas and the right wing military.

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Salvador Trivia

  • Which artist designed the dream sequence in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Spellbound'?  Answer »
  • "Un Chien Andalou" was as experimental as it was controversial, featuring an eye being cut with a razor. What was the name of the famous surrealist painter who helped make the film?  Answer »
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  • ***What Movie is this Trivia Tidbit from? Upon close inspection, the butterfly in the posters for this movie appears to have a human skull at its center. However, upon VERY close inspection, this "skull" turns out to be four women embracing a Salvador Dali painting.***  Answer »
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