DVD/Blu-ray Debut: Mads Mikkelsen in Kristian Levring's THE SALVATION

Revenge is sour, nasty and jumps back and forth between a couple of agrieved parties in THE SALVATION, the latest movie from Danish director Kristian Levring. One of those parties is a real shitheel of a man, however, so there's certainly no contest regarding for whom you're gonna root. Which also makes for little irony or surprise along the way. This is a kind of High Noon for folk who like a lot of violence and killing, a little sex, and a cast far too good for what's up there on screen. (What's up there actually looks quite good -- in Blu-ray, at least: crack cinematography, editing, sound design, and all the other technical specs.)

Almost any movie starring Mads Mikkelsen is worth a watch, and The Salvation is no exception. There's a lot to like here but litttle to love, as we've seen it all before, though the plot on parade has been cobbled together pretty well (the screenplay is by Levring and Anders Thomas Jensen) and is acted even better by a first-rate cast that includes Eva Green as a mute, mysterious good-time gal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as that very naughty bad guy.

After awhile, however, you can easily tell who'll go down and who'll survive. So all the violence and killing, while necessary plot-wise, begins to take its toll on your patience. From IFC Films and running just 92 minutes, the movie hits DVD and Blu-ray this coming Tuesday, August 4, for sale and/or rental.