Savior (1998)

A hardened mercenary in the Foreign Legion begins to find his own humanity when confronted with atrocities during the fighting in Bosnia.

Director:

Predrag Antonijevic (as Peter Antonijevic)

Writer:

Robert Orr

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Nastassja Kinski, Pascal Rollin

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nastassja Kinski	...	Maria Rose
Pascal Rollin	...	Paris Priest
Catlin Foster	...	Christian Rose
Dennis Quaid	...	Joshua Rose / Guy
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Peter Dominic (as Stellan Skarsgard)
John Maclaren	...	Colonel
Irfan Mensur	...	Drill Sergeant
Sergej Trifunovic	...	Goran
Kosta Andrejevic	...	Boy on Bridge
Ljiljana Krstic	...	Old Lady
Sanja Zogovic	...	Girl on Bridge
Veljko Otasevic	...	Orthodox Priest
Marina Bukvicki	...	Muslim Girl (as Marina Bukvic)
Dusan Perkovic	...	Uncle Ratko
Natasa Ninkovic	...	Vera

Storyline

It's sometime in the recent past. After his wife Maria and adolescent son Christian are killed in a Muslim fundamentalist terror attack at a civilian target that many officials frequent in Paris, Joshua Rose, working in the US foreign service, takes decisive measures to avenge their deaths. The most broad of those measures is joining the Foreign Legion under the given name Guy - he completing his training in 1987 - and assigning himself to fight in Bosnia in 1993 in the Balkan War, acting as a sniper for the Serb forces in an excuse to shoot to kill Muslims almost at will. He seems unmoved not only by anyone he kills, not knowing if they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time or truly Muslim warriors, but also by the brutal acts of murder committed by others around him. Things begin to change when he encounters Vera, a pregnant young woman who is trying to make her way home in what was the most recent prisoner swap between the Serbs and Muslim Bosniaks. All he knows about her ...

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Plot Keywords:

dead child with eyes open | sledgehammer | muslim | mercenary | foreign legion | 

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Taglines:

He's fighting a war he doesn't believe in, hoping to find something he does.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence including brutal war atrocities, and for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tommy Lee Jones was set to star, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

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Goofs

The opening scene is set in the 1980s, but the army soldiers are wearing Persian Gulf War ribbons on their uniforms and the Gulf War had not occurred yet.

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Quotes

[Guy is looking for a goat to milk to feed the baby]
Guy: Oh, you're a billy goat. I need a Biljana.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Never Been Kissed/Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane/Metroland/Go/The Last Days (1999)

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Soundtracks

Zajdi, Zajdi
Composed by Aleksander Sarievski
Performed by Branka Vasic

User Reviews

Magnificent

Great movie and easily Dennis Quaid's best work. Very tough to watch at times but in the end extremely rewarding and cathartic.

Its so appreciated that some artists in the world have something to say and do a timely, thoughtful movie to tell the world what they are missing or ignoring. You can either see what they have to say, or see the next assembly line CGI garbage. I suggest that any mature moviegoer give this a look.

There is some unexpected humor, a lot of horror and carnage and heartache, and I do suggest you keep the tissues close by for a some incredibly emotional scenes.

There is not a whole lot of dialogue which is also much appreciated. Most of the time actors are better when they have nothing to say but alot to express. The actors in this movie are all very natural and real. Not the least of which was the baby! One of the best performances by a new born I've ever seen..this child is beautiful.

Thanks to Dennis Quaid who probably made the equivalent of cab fare for this one..you did a great job in an invaluable movie.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Serbian French

Release Date:

20 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Savior

Filming Locations:

Montenegro

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,898, 22 November 1998

Gross USA:

$14,328

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,328

Company Credits

Production Co:

Initial Entertainment Group (IEG), Janet Yang Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1