REVIEW: The Salvation

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, Mikael Persbrandt, Douglas Henshall, Jonathan Pryce, Nanna Oland Fabricius, Toke Lars Bjarke.

Director: Kristian Levring.

Released: April 17 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)

FILMED in Johannesburg with a Danish director and a largely European cast, The Salvation saddles up as a revisionist western to rival Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning masterpiece Unforgiven.

For all the undeniable style that Kristian Levring's film boasts, including stunning cinematography courtesy of Jens Schlosser, this revenge thriller trots rather than canters to a disappointingly familiar beat.

There is much to admire in the assured manner Levring stages his sweat-soaked shoot-outs and the cast embody their hoary stereotypes, chewing scenery almost as furiously as their tobacco.

But the west wasn't won by simply venturing where greater directors have gone before, even when your film is distinguished by an eye-catching lead performance from Mads Mikkelsen as a wronged husband who exacts justice with his trusty Winchester rifle.

As spaghetti westerns go, Levring serves his with lashings of thick blood red sauce.

Following a crushing military defeat at the hands of the Germans, Danish soldiers head west to 1870s America in search of a new life.

Jon (Mikkelsen, below) settles on the outskirts of the godforsaken town of Black Creek, where he establishes a homestead.

His wife Marie (Nanna Oland Fabricius) and young son Kresten (Toke Lars Bjarke) follow some years later but the tearful family reunion culminates in the rape and slaughter of mother and child.

Consumed by grief, Jon hunts down and slays those responsible but one of the assailants turns out to be the brother of sadistic local land baron, Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

Black Creek's mayor (Jonathan Pryce) and weak-willed sheriff (Douglas Henshall) cower when Delarue swaggers into town with his right-hand man Corsican (Eric Cantona) to demand retribution for his brother's death.

Eric Cantona as Corsican

"I will give you two hours to find the man that did this... or you bring me two of your people," growls the land baron.

Delarue makes good on his promise in order to impress his brother's mute widow (Eva Green) and the townsfolk respond by betraying Jon.

Thankfully, the Dane has a sharp-shooting brother, Peter (Mikael Persbrandt), to stage a daring rescue from the jaws of death.

Embellished with a strident orchestral score composed by Kasper Winding, The Salvation dazzles many of our senses.

The South African vistas are a breathtaking stand-in for the American frontier and Levring contrasts the earthy colour palette of the sun-scorched day with the moody dark tones of the forgiving night.

Mikkelsen wrings himself dry of tears as his family man dons the spurs of judge, jury and executioner in a land where only the fastest draw survives.

Morgan is a lacklustre, two-dimensional villain while Green slinks like a cat on heat through each blood-spattered frame.

6/10

Damon Smith