Review of Salvador (1986) by Darkly W — 23 Jul 2008

Caught this flick when I was a teen and just exploring leftist politics. This was Stone's first movie and it was magic as well as poetic in its social realism. In fact, social realism is exactly how I would describe the movie.

The film grabs you from the beginning as Richard Boyle, a struggling journalist recently abndoned by his (hot) Italian wife and toddler decides to get his old beat back in Latin America. He hooks up with his DJ friend, Dr. Rock, who thinks they are about to go party for a weekend in Central America, and they drive to El Salvador.

Immediately Dr. Rock's fantasies of drinking and sleeping with teen Latinas go 'poof' when they come upon El Salvador's Finest harassing a group of student and ultimately killing one of them. This is the stuff I read about daily in the 80's and it was our tax dollars supporting it! Of course Richard knew all along why they came there and the incidences portrayed in the movie get worse as Richard covers the brutality of the Death Squads.

I will stop here on the plot, but will go on to say that the film's script, acting, directing, and low-budget production were superb and I would put it against any big-budget film of today. So get a fifth of your favorite beverage and a box of tissues and think real hard about reliving the Reagan years under McCain and see this movie!