The Salvation 2014

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Mikkelsen's icy stare, and a strong finale, make the film worth a go. Read more

Peter Debruge, Variety: Levring is certainly the first of his countrymen to render an homage to the genre with quite this level of skill, while his outsider status allows him to damn every last American in the godforsaken land of his own invention. Read more

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, AV Club: There's no harmonica-flavored faux-Morricone score, no cutesy references; this isn't an homage, but a director putting an outmoded genre style to work in a brisk, violent frontier flick. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: A film reminiscent of a song that sounds familiar but offers its own pleasures. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: For western fans, watching this movie is like encountering an old friend after a long absence. Read more

Joe McGovern, Entertainment Weekly: The movie is boringly violent and glum, but as a mute widow with a killer glare, the inimitable Eva Green provides its one shard of campy color. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: The Salvation is assembled of nothing but the most elemental components of the Western, which gives genre specialists a lot to recognize and analyze and newcomers something to enjoy for its own sake. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: The story drifts and the pacing drags, failing to gather much steam until the final moments. Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: Lack of mystery doesn't hurt the movie, but rather fits a story as elemental as this, one that at times resembles an illustrated list of genre codes and conventions: black hat, white hat, six-shooter, horse. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: The Salvation is severe and bloody stuff. Read more

Thomas Lee, San Francisco Chronicle: "The Salvation" is one of those movies that deservedly (and desperately) requires a do-over. Unfortunately, what you see is what you get. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Even when we know the familiar iconography and storytelling tropes of old American classics that are thundering toward us, it's great to see them again. Read more

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. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Wild West vengeance gets a terrific homage and a bloody reckoning in this oater excursion ... Read more

Trevor Johnston, Time Out: Lacks enough complexity to hold cliche at bay, and the CGI-heavy visuals are distracting. Read more

Nick Schager, Village Voice: Two Bond villains and Eva Green walk into a western, and they emerge with a rugged - if far from revolutionary - old-school horse-opera throwback. Read more

Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture: The Salvation is visually beautiful, morally down and dirty, and simplistic. But it's marked by two haunted, quiet performances from stars Mads Mikkelsen and Eva Green, who make [an] otherwise predictable slog worthwhile. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: Surprises are few and far between in "The Salvation," but for Western fans looking for a fix, it'll do the trick. Read more