Rating: 
Summary: The Salton Sea
Review: Amazon, you need a sixth star to do full justice to this edgy, innovative masterpiece of ensemble acting. That lead actor Val Kilmer can shine so brilliantly amidst the endless stream of first rate supporting actors proves he is not only an actor of supreme ability, but a catalyst who has brought about small miracles in the roles of, among others, Sarsgaard, Wong, D'Onofrio, Plummer, Unger, Guzman --well the list is long and simply mind-boggling. The film was released in only four or five major cities and dropped. How the producers of this film could have been so dense in promoting it is beyond my scope of understanding. No doubt Kilmer will once again be passed over at Oscar time (remember Tombstone? The Doors? How about Heat?) but if making good films is his real source of satisfaction, he should be very proud of this film. His acting depicts a range of human emotions in this film that will leave you breathless.
Do yourself a favor and see this movie. Often.
Rating:
Summary: dark comic noir-thriller about loss and redemption.
Review: A super stylized picture that starts off in the netherworld of the "tweaker" that turns into a Memento-like noir pic.
In this film Val Kilmer plays trumpet player Tom Van Allen and Danny Parker, a crystal meth user and police informant. Tom becomes Danny all in order to find his wife's killer.
From the films openning scene it becomes clear that The Salton Sea is as much a visual treat as it is complicated. It begins with Tom playing a Miles Davis tune in room with burning money. From there we are given a brief and hilarious history of methamphetamines and then straight into the tweaker subculture. It is this world that feeds his insomnia and paranoia, and leads him into some interesting, weird, and humorous characters. From undercover cops to a dealer with a speargun to a chinese cowboy to tweakers with plans for Bob Hope's stool sample to a beautiful battered neighbor Danny runs into them all in this movie. But the scene stealer has to be the odd-ball drug dealer Pooh-Bear, whose nose had to be cut off due to the excessive damage done from drug use. Played brilliantly by Vincent D'Onofrio Pooh-Bear is the funniest villian in a movie in recent years, and his re-creation of the JFK assassination is classic.
With all of its comedic flare The Salton Sea is still a dark and emotional movie that (pardon the cliche') is a rollercoaster of a ride. But then again just like a crystal meth addiction it does have its Ups and then it has its come-downs. It is a story about loss, revenge and redemption.See this movie; if not for its stylish cinematic fashion, then see it for its performances by Kilmer and D'Onofrio.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly stylized drivel.
Review: I usually stay clear of anything with Val Kilmer. The trailer for this one looked so good that I had to investigate. I'm sorry to report that The Salton Sea reeks of many far better films. Trainspotting. Memento. Pulp Fiction. True Romance. Drugstore Cowboy. Boogie Nights. I don't blame Kilmer. He's actually quite good for once. The problem is a film with little identity of it's own. A film that is little more than half a dozen cool set pieces strung together with a contrived threadbare plot. Vincent D' Onofrio chews more scenery here than he has in his entire career. Here he plays a menacing drug dealer named Pooh Bear. His nose has desintegrated due to years of drug abuse and he kills enemies by unleashing an oversized rabid badger on their genitalia! As deliciously wacky as this sounds it's just not enough to carry an entire movie. There is llittle else here besides a few quirky Tarantino inspired characters. Very few men in their early 40s can wear a mohawk as well as Kilmer. He's surprisingly sexy here. We also get hipsters like Adam Goldberg, Debra Kara Unger, Glen Plummer, Peter Sarsgaard, Luis Guzman and Anthony La Paglia. All get to utter over-cooked P.T Anderson style dialogue. The Salton Sea is a terrifc looking film that (like most terrific looking film's) makes very little sense and is utterly forgettable. Save your money and wait for it's appearance on cable TV.
Rating:
Summary: This film was EXCELLENT
Review: "The Salton Sea" revolves around an ex-trumpet player named Danny Parker ( Val Kilmer), whose wife is killed right in front of him. The majority of the film takes Danny into the L.A. drug scene, as he goes undercover to find his wife's killer. For some reason this film has gotten a lot of bad reviews from the critics. But in my opinion, "The Salton Sea" is very suspenseful and it is the best mystery film that I have seen since "Memento". Every element of the film is important to the progress of the story. Take absolutely nothing for granted when watching, because things in this film, are not always what they appear to be. But the film is not confusing either, because it leaves absolutely no loose ends. The mystery of his wife's killer is impossible to solve, and when the answer is finally revealed, it is highly shocking. The cast is TOP NOTCH in this movie! Val Kilmer is great as Danny and must keep up two seperate lives. The life of a man on a personal vendetta, and that of a drug addict. Both roles are very convincing! The best performance of the film goes to Vincent D Onofrio with his portrayal of the noseless speed dealer Pooh Bear. He is mentally unstable and his actions will shock you, disgust you, and make you laugh harder than you have ever laughed before. Other well known actors include: Anthony LaPaglia, Luis Guzman, Doug Hutchinson, and Adam Goldberg. The DVD is worth the money alone because of the extras. You get 3 featurettes, and a whole lot more. Final Grade : A
Rating: 
Summary: 4 stars (out of 5)
Review: The film opens with the main character (played by Val Kilmer, although I initially guessed that it was Guy Pearce), playing the trumpet while he is surrounded by flames which include burning money. His voice-over narration indicates that he about to die, and that we can call him either Danny Parker or Tom Van Allen. Then we get a quick but very funny and gorgeously shot introduction to the history and manufacture of "speed" (methamphetamine). And then we flash back to the real movie, which starts by showing Danny Parker as a serious drug addict, surrounded by others who are as well. I could say more, but there are a great number of twists and turns in the plot, and you should discover them for yourself. The cinematography is, as I already indicated, spectacular. The soundtrack, featuring Miles Davis, is excellent. And the acting is very good, with Vincent D'Onofrio being the standout as an absolutely insane drug dealer who is called Pooh Bear because his nose had to be removed after he did too many drugs. I saw this film at the Camera Cinema Club in San Jose, CA on April 14th where the director (D.J. Caruso) was there to talk and answer questions (although I had to leave early in the question period). He said that a significant influence on him was "Chinatown," because that was the last great Los Angeles-set noir film. He also indicated that the ending, which was a little too upbeat for some, was more dark and ambiguous than other alternatives suggested by the studio. With the caveat that it is at times violent and/or tense, I would definitely recommend this film.
Rating:
Summary: Dark, moody film noir destined to be a cult classic
Review: Val Kilmer plays a man leading two lives. He is Tom Van Allen; a trumpet player who watched his wife get murdered before his eyes. He is also Danny Parker; a meth addict, a "tweaker", who is a rat for the police. But whoever he is, Tom or Danny, he has his own agenda and is looking for the man who killed his wife. While this all may sound like a too familiar revenge themed thriller, it has a darkly comic vibe to it, mainly thanks to Kilmer's incredible (as usual) performance as a man wrestling with his demons. Vincent D'Onofrio is fantastic as noseless meth dealer Pooh Bear and nearly steals the entire film from Kilmer, but an all-star cast of character actors including Adam Goldberg, Doug Hutchison, Anthony LaPaglia, Peter Sarsgaard, B.D. Wong, Deborah Kara Unger, Luis Guzman, Glenn Plummer, Meat Loaf, Danny Trejo, and Buckcherry lead singer Josh Todd carries the entire film and makes it as great as it is. All that combined along with the near excellent direction from D.J. Caruso and the clever, twisting and turning screenplay make The Salton Sea a highly entertaining film noir that is destined to become a cult classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't like the film
Review: I could not recommend this film. It glamorizes the life of a "tweaker". The acting is very good, but the subject matter is depressing.
Rating:
Summary: Great Portyral of A Speed Freak in a Hollywood Way
Review: This is a absolute gem in the rough. I put this up their with pulp ficition, memento, blow, casino,fear and loathing. First, if you have not done meth(speed) you will not know how percise this film is. It portrays the scene pretty well and val deos a good job of telling what its like in the first scene. If you havent done meth you probably wont get this movie that well. There is still a great story line, but all a speed freak cares about is, were is that next line coming from and when will it be here. I love movies when the who plot comes together at the end. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS FILM. I'm not saying you will totally be lost if you have never done meth, but having done the drug myself I can relate to the film A LOT. Absolutly brilliant film and I love the way it was done and how true it is. Val Kimer can not do a bad movie and I love how he seems to choose the crazy,weird,drug,(...) kind of movies. He totally encompasses his acting ability in each roll he deos. Brilliant. A+++++.
Rating:
Summary: Moving, stunningly bleak, heartbreaking
Review: In the "Salton Sea" Val Kilmer gives the performance of his career. (His oft-praised performance of Jim Morrison in The Doors, a terrible movie, was nothing more than a buffoonish caricature.) Unsure of his identity and at times even the real motives behind his actions, he plays a man whose life has fallen apart. While critics have taken numerous and well written wizzes on the film for it's postmodern, Tarantino-esque attitude toward drugs and violence, I think this has been focused on too heavily. The movie has a flavor all it's own, one of mystery and how a man reacts when what he loves is taken away forever. Danny Parker, haunted drug addict and truly frightening individual, is juxtaposed with former musician and husband Thomas Van Allen. It is safe to say that Danny has taken over when the film begins.
Giving an amusing history of methamphetamine, Danny asks the viewer to help him discover who he is and follow him in what will eventually become a path of revenge. And when the revenge does come, it is both vicious and unforgiving. The ending, despite trying to appear upbeat (perhaps in a last ditch attempt to not depress the softer viewer's to death), is actually fairly sad. Although I will not reveal any of the plot twists (and one is more important than any of the others), one has to ask oneself what is left for Danny/Tom at the end of the film. An unforgettable movie, one that will haunt your dreams. To miss this would be a disservice to all the masterful film noir that came before it.
Rating:
Summary: Contemporary Film-Noir...
Review: The story in Salton Sea is developed around the mystery of Danny Parker (Val Kilmer), a saxophone playing drug addict, who is informing the police on behalf of his own personal interests. As the story unfolds the mystery is drawn into daylight and another problem is presented to Danny where he must face the past and future in a moment of truth. Salton Sea is a modern film-noir that offers a solid performance by the cast and a respectable cinematic experience with both drama and suspense.
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