Rating: 
Summary: "I really like his chances..."
Review: What a beautiful movie. The plot, admittedly, is pretty vanilla - Val Kilmer's wife has been killed, he seeks revenge, yawn - but the performances are so mesmerizing that you completely forget that you've seen this movie before. D.J. Caruso, in what is probably the best first film I've seen since Bottle Rocket, manages to instill the movie with a crazy visual sensibility a la Snatch, or From Hell, but keeps the characters from getting lost in the slo-mo dolly shots and visual trickery. The best reason for this success is Val Kilmer. I'd say "performance of a lifetime," but this man has given so many performances of a lifetime that it's almost standard to see him light up the screen. Nevertheless, he makes the movie, along with Vincent D'Onofrio, who has more fun than should be allowed playing a no-nosed junkie with a pet badger named Captain Steubing. The dialogue would sound hackneyed from the mouth of a lesser actor, but Kilmer makes it so moving that one is almost sorry when the film is over. Go watch this. You won't regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: FILM NOIR IN TECHNICOLOR
Review: This film intrigued me, because I thought that it would be something like Lost Highway or 8mm. I was disappointed Salton Sea lacks the surrealism and the strangeness of David Lynch or the dark territory of 8mm. This film is similar in scope and vision to Remains of the Day, starring another young actor, Balthasar Getty. You will either like or dislike these two films for the same reasons. Both films are more artsy than they are real, and Salton Sea is self-consciously so. Every woman looks like a supermodel, and all three of the female characters either get abused or murdered. The drug induced madness in this film is more theatrically Shakespearean than realistic, as is violence, with characters asking existential answers and giving tough guy answers as they try to whack each other with guns. The film deals with Meth scene and speed freaks, and yet we see no raves or bikers, genuine or not, except an Easy Rider style fellow who cooks himself accidentally while cooking the next. Despite the film's shortcomings, the villains are credibly evil and realistically portrayed. Onofrio's performance as a Man Without A Nose is funny and in a couple of skits the film repeats the skits of Oliver Stone and Hannibal Lector. The film's attitude to realism is best reflected in its portrayal of this Man Without Nose drug dealing character, aka Pooh Bear. In real life there is a biker who lost a part of his nose in a bad highway accident, recovered and went on to become the president of his motorcycle club. In this film the guy loses his nose to an uncontrolled drug habit, life is negative enough, why degrade greatness? Val Kilmer's sidekick is improbable as a crack head with a heart of gold. The guy is supposed to be both - loyal, trusting, good natured, AND beholden to a crack pipe at the same time. Anybody who personally knows a current or recovering drug addict will not buy it. The film was intended to be satire in the way of Quentin Terentino or Cohen brothers, but it fails miserably and turns into a slapstick comedy. If you want to know what this film is trying to be, I suggest that you see Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke, or if you like to read, try Tapping The Source by Kem Nunn; you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Revenge tale
Review: Val Kilmer plays a tattooed [narcotics] user/police informant in S. California. 1 star for the first 15 minutes of this film--highly original and entertaining 1 star for the character of "Pooh Bear," the sadistic Palmdale based [narcotics] dealer who looks as though he wandered off of the set of "A Texas Chain Saw Massacre." After its orginal beginning, the film degenerated into silly nonsense. It became predictable, cliched, and the ending was totally implausible. And--while this film had its share of gore--especially in Pooh Bear's Antelope Valley Lair (where one of his prime occupations seems to be torturing animals and people), one character is shot in the head AT POINT BLANK RANGE and her head and face remain PERFECT!! There is NO blood for these closeup shots of her face, head and clothing. I thought this was more than a bit curious--especially since the audience was not spared from the gory details in various other scenes.
Rating: 
Summary: um.. what a waste.
Review: don't waste your time and money on this film. val kilmer made this film sound like it was the only film worth watching this year. i'll just say you're not missing anything. what was a good story line was turned into mediocre ... it was even fragmented, ... bad directing, ... [the lead actor] was trying too hard to be something he wasn't. he isn't made for a role like this. ... ...
Rating:
Summary: Ack.
Review: When I first read a review about The Salton Sea, I couldn't wait to see it. I was disapointed when I head the movie had been dropped from numerous theatres after only a few short weeks. Now I know why. This movie could've been so much better. Kilmer is a bore as usual. Uninteresting characters, and the usual, "widowed husband seeks revenge" plotline make this film one of the worst of 2002. How anyone could take an interesting plot subject such as meth cookers, and the underground methadone trade, and make it completely dull and boring is beyond me. The only reason I gave The Salton Sea two stars instead of one,is because of D'Onofrios' performance as a noseless meth dealer. Which, as far as D'Onfrio performances go, was lackluster at best.
Rating:
Summary: WORST MOVIE
Review: This movie is horrible. It's sloppy. The only good thing about this movie is that it looks good. Thats all. The movie tries to make the characters interesting, but they're actually quite boring. This movie is dark, but not edgy. It doesnt come close to pulp fiction so dont believe any reviews you read that say's it does. If you want something dark,and edgy then check out Requim For A Dream.
Rating:
Summary: See, The Salton Sea
Review: Directing: 10; Acting: 10; Story: 9.0 - If this movie had to rely on the acting alone, it'd be an excellent movie. Although, this is a "dark" movie - it could've been worse. If you're a "Kilmer fan" it is one of his best performances.
Rating: 
Summary: Overlooked thriller / dark comedy packs a punch
Review: "The Salton Sea", one of the year's most overlooked movies, is both a highly inventive thriller and very dark comedy. It's "Memento" meets "Requiem for a Dream" meets "Pulp Fiction". If your tastes sometimes run to the unusual and the bizarre, I highly recommend this movie. Val Kilmer, who gives the best performance of his career, is Danny Parker, AKA Tom Van Allen. We first meet Danny playing his trumpet in a room o fire. He is apparently dying. He begins to tell his tale and asks us to decide who and what he really is. As he says, nothing is as it appears to be. He is a junkie, but he wasn't when he was Tom Van Allen. Danny's world is something Tom could never have dreamed of before a tragic and unjust event derailed his life. As Tom (good, caring, gentle person), he can not find justice. As Danny Parker (drug addict, con artist, police informant), he can. For me to tell you more would spoil the plot. The scenes of Tom's unrelenting anger and sorrow are often relieved by moments of unexpected dark humor. These episodes may be a little jarring, as if the movie were uncertain as to the tone it needs to maintain, but they are perfectly in synch with the madness of Danny's world. Much of the humor is provided by the great character actor Vincent D'Onofrio. His Pooh Bear is one villain you're unlikely to soon forget.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER SCENE!
Review: Where have I been? Where has this movie been? I just watched "The Salton Sea", starring Val Kilmer...a film that was released in
theatres on April 26th of this year...a limited release. So how was it? It ranks among the top five films I have EVER scene. It
is chilling, riveting, shocking, and perhaps before its time. "The Salton Sea" makes "Blow" and "Traffic" suitable for all ages...family flicks. "The Salton Sea" is a sobering look deep into
the world of drugs...so deep that it brings chills to your spine...goosebump city. Val Kilmer says it all in one of the opening
scenes: "You finally hit bottom and can't go any lower." This film can't get any higher on my list. It is simply a gem...a
masterpiece. Val Kilmer has never been better, even though I thought he was incredible in "The Doors" and "Tombstone". So what's the story all about? It's all about Val Kilmer...the many faces of VK...who portrays a "Tweeker" (you'll have to see the
movie to understand). He hangs with other tweekers, loakers and slammers. The shock value alone is worth the one hour and 43 minutes of gripping entertainment. The sound is superb. You must watch this
with a good sound system...on at least a 25-inch screen. This DVD is of the highest quality. I wish I had seen it in the theatre, but to be honest, I didn't even know
it was released back in April. I stumbled across it by searching the net for other films, and when I read the reviews on Amazon.
Com, I knew it would be my type of flick. It is definitely not for the squeamish. It is violent, graphic, lots of language...and the sound effects and soundtrack is as
compelling as the unique camera angles and editing. Trust me, I've seen thousands of films in my life and you can't miss this one. Buy it. It's a gold mine and one you will watch again and again.
"The Salton Sea" is filled with love, hate, compassion, friendship, betrayal, soul, revenge...REALITY. There are moments that
remind me of such flicks as "Blow", "Natural Born Killers", "Insomnia", the drug scene in "Traffic", "The Doors"...etc. But this
film makes them look like babies. "The Salton Sea" is a new genre of film. It rests alone on my list in a place that no film has
ever gone before. Val Kilmer is a genius. His co-stars Vincent D'Onofrio, Doug Hutchison, Peter Sarsgaard and many others, are
perfectly cast. From the murderous dealers, his love influence, his friends, his enemies and all that are around him...I lived
this film as I watched it. It drew me right into the world of Danny Parker (VK)...a trumpet player, a tweeker and owner of one of
the most spectacular tattoos I have ever seen.
If you like to be shocked with reality, and truly enjoy great acting, editing, sound and music, "The Salton Sea" is a must-
see.
Rating:
Summary: A great atmospheric mystery that'll entertain you!
Review: I wish I hadn't seen "The Salton Sea." Why? Because watching it unfold once was such a treat that I'd like to enjoy it again. In this film, in which the protagonist's motives and actions are revealed bit by bit, like an onion being peeled, the viewer is drawn in and left guessing until the very end. It is an intelligent movie. Yes, there's some gratuitous violence, but this movie is more plot-driven than action-driven. The movie begins off in an almost dreamy, watery visual state, with first-person narration. Slowly the story unfolds. While this film is a look at the underworld of methedrine labs that spring up in the desert outside L.A., and the human havoc the drug leaves in its wake, it doesn't pander to the audience's intelligence. Val Kilmer is, as usual, excellent in his role as the snitch-tweeker-husband-bent-on-revenge. Which is he? Snitch? Tweeker? Widower? Watch the film. I'm not going to tell you. Once the dream-like first 15 or so minutes are over, the plat grabs hold and the rest of the movie just unfolds so sweetly. It was such a joy to watch this movie unfold that, though I WILL watch it again and again, nothing is as special as seeing a movie for the first time. And, like I said at the beginning, watching this movie was such a joy that I wish my initial viewing of it was ahead of me in time instead of behind me... Great flick. Great, great supporting cast, nice plot twists, and a well-shot noirish feel to it. HIGHLY recommended.
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