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The Salvation

Play trailer Poster for The Salvation R Released Feb 27, 2015 1h 29m Drama Western Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 82 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
After shooting the man who murdered his wife, a Danish settler (Mads Mikkelsen) incurs the wrath of the man's brother (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a ruthless land baron who rules their frontier town.

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The Salvation

The Salvation

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Critics Consensus

It's all but impossible to add anything new or fresh to the traditional Western, but -- thanks in no small part to Mads Mikkelson's performance -- The Salvation comes close.

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Critics Reviews

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Brad Wheeler Globe and Mail In an untamed world where hypocrisy is loud and where no one can be trusted, salvation is one's own business and actions speak louder than words. Rated: 3/4 Apr 24, 2015 Full Review Peter Howell Toronto Star Wild West vengeance gets a terrific homage and a bloody reckoning in this oater excursion ... Rated: 3/4 Apr 23, 2015 Full Review Jonathan Romney Observer (UK) It never transcends reverent pastiche, down to the hackneyed twang of Morricone-style guitars. Rated: 3/5 Apr 19, 2015 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson Any temptation for dead weight and drag has been smartly trimmed, not only by the man-of-few-words acting, but also by the basic revenge story framework that always delivers in this genre. Rated: 4/5 Jul 28, 2025 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Yet the film has a unique feel and an intense visual flair that goes along with its violent self-awareness. Rated: 4/5 Aug 25, 2022 Full Review Michael J. Casey Michael J. Cinema There is a story buried under all this dirt and grime, and it is a fairly interesting one, but writer/director Kristian Levring doesn't seem too interested in it. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 13, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Gareth v A stylish, gritty Western that pays homage to classic revenge tales while injecting a European sensibility into this genre. It’s a lean, mean story of loss, justice, and moral ambiguity, anchored by strong performances and striking visuals. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/24/25 Full Review Pongo K This is a really gooooood movie! Sophisticated but not too complex. At the very top of "western"- movies. C it! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Faiz D Just another western. Saw this because I am a huge Mikkelsen fan. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/13/25 Full Review Korra N Not great but still a showcase for the always outstanding Mads Mikkelson, The Salvation is grim, unrelenting & gripping. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/04/25 Full Review AJ C Lack of relationship build with our hero and his family was a missed opportunity. Otherwise, there were some nice touches. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/25 Full Review Mark B Solid western a simple story well acted. Not earth shattering breaking new ground but satisfying. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Salvation

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Movie Info

Synopsis After shooting the man who murdered his wife, a Danish settler (Mads Mikkelsen) incurs the wrath of the man's brother (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a ruthless land baron who rules their frontier town.
Director
Kristian Levring
Producer
Michael Auret, Tracy Brimm, Marlow De Mardt, Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Kate Myers, Charlotte Pedersen
Screenwriter
Anders Thomas Jensen, Kristian Levring
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Zentropa Entertainment, Spier Films, Forward Films
Rating
R (Violence Throughout)
Genre
Drama, Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 27, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Runtime
1h 29m
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