Salvador (1986)

            “Salvador” is an Oliver Stone (“Platoon”) film. He co-wrote it with Richard Boyle. The main character is based on Boyle, although the movie begins with a disclaimer that the characters have been fictionalized. The movie cost $4.5 million. Stone had trouble getting financial backing and had to take out a second mortgage on his home. You can’t fault his commitment to telling the story, but it was a box office bomb, making only $1.5 million. The movie got good reviews. Not a surprise since critics love movies about journalists. It was nominated for Best Actor (James Woods) and Best Original Screenplay.

            Woods plays veteran journalist Boyle. He is a stereotype of a war movie journalist. His situation is straight out of a country music song. He is unemployed, evicted, his wife and child have left him, and he has been arrested for numerous traffic violations. He hooks up with a down on his luck disc jockey called Doctor Rock (Jim Belushi) whose wife has kicked him out and his dog has died. They decide to drive to El Salvador because it is in the middle of a civil war and it is a good place for adrenaline junkies to get a fix. And they can make some money doing free lance work. In El Salvador, they hook up with photojournalist John Cassady (John Savage) who like all of this type in movies, heads in the direction of gunshots. There is a subplot that has Boyle attempting to save a girlfriend and her daughter.

            Boyle discovers that the United States is supporting the right-wing dictator. Government forces are involved in the murder of nuns and a respected archbishop who had spoken out against the government. Boyle interviews members of the insurgency and they are portrayed as heroic freedom fighters. And the US government is in bed with the bad guys. Did you expect something different from Stone? I do have to point out that Boyle witnesses the rebels killing prisoners. So, although we are supposed to sympathize with the rebels, it is clear they are almost as bad as their opponents. Those opponents are dastardly. They include the sinister latino and the gung-ho, communist hating military adviser.

            “Salvador” is a message movie, but is unengaging. Boyle is an unappealing character and hard to root for. The movie would have been better off concentrating on Cassady. Wood was a good choice for Boyle and he gives his usual slow-burn acting. Belushi provides comic relief. The trio of characters would fit into any war journalism movie. That means we get the cliches of getting a story (or a Pulitzer Prize winning photo) is more important than your family. To get that story or photo, you have to go in harm’s way. Stone stages some good action scenes and the movie finishes strong. Prepare to be depressed.

GRADE  =  C