DVD REVIEW

Salton Sea, The

Starring: Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter Saarsgard
Director: D.J. Caruso

Rating: R

Review Posted: 9.29.02

By John Teves

Danny Parker (KILMER) is a man in search of redemption, consumed by a sense of loneliness and alienation. Following the death of his wife (CHANDRA WEST), he is set adrift in a seedy underworld inhabited by an eclectic, and often comical, cast of characters united principally by their choice of drug: crystal meth. An accomplished jazz musician, Danny is now a low-life "tweaker" in Los Angeles who leads us through a frenzied maze, one from which he must emerge before his tenuous grip on reality snaps for good.

In a bold attempt Danny secretly hatches a plan to serve as middle-man in a lucrative drug deal. With the help of his friend Jimmy "The Finn" (SARSGAARD), Danny is introduced to Pooh-Bear (D'ONOFRIO), a deranged metamphetamine baron with a penchant for sadistic recreational games, who seals the deal. But in this mad world, nothing is as it seems and no one is who he or she appears to be. While making this perilous journey through the underbelly of Los Angeles, however, Danny reconnects with a tenderness long thought dead as he reaches out to help his troubled and vulnerable neighbor, Colette (DEBORAH KARA UNGER).

THE SALTON SEA is an energetic drug thriller. It's a tale of curative salvation that seems indifferent to the outcome. THE SALTON SEA offers that odd treat in a film that is both piercing and gripping. I liked THE SALTON SEA. This was not an engaging film, but more a psychological test of persistence and vengeance. If you expect a lot from this film, then this may not be up your alley, on the other hand if you are looking for an artistic noir type film, then this will unquestionably delight.

SALTON SEA appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. I thought the film presented a very positive picture. Sharpness appeared good throughout the movie. I felt the image remained nicely crisp and well defined. I detected very few signs of softness or fuzziness. Jagged edges showed no concerns, but I noticed some minor edge enhancement at times, but not enough to merit a concern.

Colors were solid. The hues came across as clean and natural, and they appeared nicely vivid. Black levels also seemed rich and deep, while shadow detail looked appropriately dense. Ultimately, SALTON SEA exhibited a great transfer.

THE SALTON SEA is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack mix. Its soundfield seemed surprisingly active and engaging. The forward spectrum dominated, but not to the degree I expected. Music showed good stereo presence and imaging, effects popped up logically and realistically from the sides, and they blended together well.

The surrounds kicked in fine reinforcement of the score and they also added a very nice sense of dimension to the mix. Audio quality also appeared very good. Speech sounded natural and distinct. Music seemed lush and vibrant, as the score demonstrated excellent range and fidelity. Overall, THE SALTON SEA provided a pleasing soundtrack.

- Documentary: "Meth and Method" - The production design of The Salton Sea, about capturing the look of the Los Angeles Drug Underworld

- Documentary: "Embracing the Chaos" - A conversation with the cast & crew of The Salton Sea talking about their plunge into this intense movie.
- Theatrical Trailer
- Cast/Director Film Highlights

Overall, these features make this disc slightly scant. A commentary would have been huge, but it's not so. How about deleted or alternate scenes? Also not so. The documentaries made an impression on the disc overall.

Overall, THE SALTON SEA offered a better than average drug thriller. The DVD offered a good transfer with catching sound and an undersized roster of extras. THE SALTON SEA seemed too noir to work for a mass audience, but fans of the type should give it a look.

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