MISSED THE POINT? CLICHE'? What's so typical, predictable and Cliche' are these 'reviews' that blame the movie for their own obtuse inability to simply enjoy it because of it's many strengths; they actually perceive the strengths as weaknesses because they fail to understand them - they cannot relate, having been indoctrinated into always, always expecting the utter Cliche that is the Hollywood-Blockbuster-Plot. Does it have those elements? If not, then sarcasm and "See how clever I am!" type reviews always follow!
Most reviewers blame the movie for their own weak and narrow minded limitations. Of course they didn't understand or enjoy The Salvation - you must be intelligent to recognize intelligent writing; must at least be familiar with the sheer willpower and extreme strength of character possessed by these immigrants to understand how such qualities drive the movie, that the Plot is driven by Character, as it should be. They seem to have the uniquely childish, teenager-sensibility and always expect Plot to be driven by some factor of enjoyment that disregards plausibility and intelligence.
Finally a western explores the incredibly strong character of the cliche' immigrant, of which their were thousands and hundreds of thousands at that time, hardly any of them violent or immature or anything but relentlessly driven to improve their own lives with a discipline unknown to most Americans. Those strengths of character, it seems, cannot be understood or even recognized by those lacking them - the shallow, immature reviews bear this out.
The Salvation is excellent - as judged simply by the test all movies must first pass: "Did it achieve 'The Transport'? Was I transported?" Reviewers who were not transported by The Salvation blame the movie and 100 oh-so-clever criticism - they are too obtuse to see the obvious, which is they are to blame, not the movie. They sit through opening credits with assumptions and pompous expectations (as if they could do better in 100 years of trying) - as if they have something to prove to all of us and feel some desperate need to illustrate how Clever and Intelligent and Sarcastic they can be! Wow - big deal and you missed the heart of it all by your own immaturity.
Immigrants in the old west have not been portrayed before in the way The Salvation brings them to our attention - and it's no surprise that typically American 'teenager-type' mentality and sensibility totally miss the core of their strength. When have these types ever worked for 7+ years solely to be able to reunite with their family because of severe hardship? When have they ever faced severe hardship of any kind? And yet they are going to lecture us all on the best or most believable response to the murder of you son and rape and murder of your wife, after toiling relentlessly for 7 years? A joke.
What is new and unique and refreshing about The Salvation only comes to light as we are fully engaged - viewers who don't allow themselves to be engaged have themselves to blame and their smug opinions are boring, tedious and typical. It is the inner strength of these immigrants that is the heart of the story - the Plot is because of Character, something most American types are far too immature to understand. The Salvation asks and answers a fresh, unique question for a Western: What if that cliche' [Danish] immigrant has been trained and is a talented soldier? Most all of them possessed inner strength far greater than so-called 'True Americans' then or now. Americans don't have the qualities necessary to work for 7 years relentlessly after suffering through a great war - just so they can live simply as a family, truly cherishing what they have.
Just like the weak-minded professionals, so many comments merely illustrate how entirely viewers like 'juju_jutu' simply miss the entire point. Reviews that express impatience, as if the writer is such an expert authority, has had such a rich life of experience, are tedious and typical. Are we to believe that juju-jutu et al can do better with no effort? That they have ever faced death, hardship and violence once in their life? Reviewers who are obviously not qualified to render their smug, superior opinions chock-full of incorrect assumptions, fallacies, etc., always have the same cliche'd criticism and it's as invalid as being lectured about violence by someone who has never known true violence for a single moment.
They view films with expectations and assumptions filling their heads, leaving no room for the actual activity of simply viewing - they are exactly like know-it-all types who are not truly Listening when others speak, they are merely waiting impatiently for their turn to speak - because they are convinced of their superior opinions while never even challenging the many false assumptions crowding out the film.
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