Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Salvador

Play trailer Poster for Salvador R Released Apr 23, 1986 1h 57m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Unable to find work in America because of his penchant for booze and drugs, photojournalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) heads to El Salvador with his DJ friend Doctor Rock (James Belushi) to see if he can get a gig covering the country's ongoing civil war. Boyle decides it's time to flee the country when the violence escalates to a level that even he is uncomfortable with, but his relationship with an El Salvadorian woman (Elpidia Carrillo) complicates matters.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Salvador

Salvador

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Despite its somewhat disjointed narrative, Oliver Stone's Salvador is a vivid and powerful political drama that sets an early tone for the director's similarly provocative future projects.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (30)
Richard Combs Sight & Sound Of Stone's two recent films, Salvador is the most remarkable, if only for its drive and sense of attack, its willingness to deal in current politics as directly as it does. Aug 22, 2022 Full Review Catherine Rambeau Detroit Free Press Although it doesn't attain the stature of The Killing Fields, the film is an effective comment on the actions in Central America. Rated: 8/10 Oct 27, 2021 Full Review Derek Adams Time Out The polemic may seem obvious and at times laboured, but the action sequences are brilliant, and the film does achieve a brutal, often very moving, power. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Armond White National Review It is Stone’s cynicism that recommends Salvador for contemporary viewing. No other American filmmaker this millennium dares Stone’s candor about the sins and absolute corruption of political journalism. Apr 26, 2024 Full Review Jordan M. Smith IONCINEMA.com Still soberingly relevant today, this is a film that needs a critical revival and much deserved love and attention. Rated: 3.5/5 Nov 3, 2020 Full Review Rob Aldam Backseat Mafia Its success is largely down to a livewire and erratic central performance by James Woods. Oct 30, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (416)
Robert B Classic in every way. Even Belushi shines. Must see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/21/25 Full Review thiago s Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, a história é bacaninha, o elenco é bacaninha, e só a dupla dos fotógrafos ajudou a melhorar o filme, os personagens são bacaninhas, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, e o filme ficou com um drama bem bacaninha. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 06/15/25 Full Review DanTheMan 2 Still soberingly relevant today, Salvador offers a gripping and brutally moving depiction of the turmoil in Central America, offset by pure anger as Oliver Stone unleashes a tirade against the US government and its foreign policy. It has a real drive and sense of attack in its willingness to tackle its subject matter with a head-on vividness. Stone's cynicism and candour regarding the sins and utter corruption of political journalism fuel the central thrust of this film. Stone presents some profoundly harrowing and unsettling visuals aided by his direction, the cinematography and Georges Delerue's haunting musical score. The battle sequences are tense and tightly edited, the dialogue is rippingly good, although somewhat disjointed at points and certainly drags its feet in delivering its gut punch of a message, you can forgive it due to the utterly tremendous central performance from James Woods, a tribute to his considerable dramatic skill that he manages to elicit sympathy for a uniquely obnoxious character. Salvador isn't a masterpiece, but it's a film of such ferocious power and intensity that it's impossible not to notice. I really need to check out more of Stone's filmography one of these days. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/28/25 Full Review Alec C Welcome to El Salvador, one of the most dangerous and war-torn countries in the world! A boozy reporter decides to do some freelance work in the middle of a civil war, but soon finds himself biting off more then he can chew, with the constant innocents shot down and the officials unable to intervene. Unflinching in its portrayal of the evils of social instability and tyranny in this underrated Oliver Stone story! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/24 Full Review Lee F James Woods performance is perfect as a self confessed Weasel photographer journalist. There are some shocking scenes which capture the violence of the time in Salvador. Overall a film I would recommend. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/27/23 Full Review Jelisije J A movie that should have focussed more on the struggle of the civil war in El Salvador than James Woods character in the first 46 minutes of the film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Salvador

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Blue Velvet 91% 88% Blue Velvet Watchlist Fatal Attraction 74% 72% Fatal Attraction Watchlist TRAILER for Fatal Attraction Sea of Love 76% 66% Sea of Love Watchlist Revenge 30% 54% Revenge Watchlist Track 29 63% 43% Track 29 Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Unable to find work in America because of his penchant for booze and drugs, photojournalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) heads to El Salvador with his DJ friend Doctor Rock (James Belushi) to see if he can get a gig covering the country's ongoing civil war. Boyle decides it's time to flee the country when the violence escalates to a level that even he is uncomfortable with, but his relationship with an El Salvadorian woman (Elpidia Carrillo) complicates matters.
Director
Oliver Stone
Producer
Gerald Green, Oliver Stone
Screenwriter
Richard Boyle, Oliver Stone
Distributor
Polygram, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Patsa Productions S.A., Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A., Cinema '84, Hemdale
Rating
R
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 23, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
1h 57m
Most Popular at Home Now