content: Val Kilmer's character warns the viewer right at the beginning that nothing is what it appears to be. Is Kilmer Danny, a punk-rock meth tweaker turned police snitch? Or is he a talented jazz musician named Todd Van Allen? The beautifully shot film noir presents many pieces to the puzzle, all of which fit together perfectly for a shocker of an ending. There really aren't words to decribe the movie or the storyline--it's just something you have to let unfold for itself.Vincent D'Onofrio is stellar as the villianous messed-up desert drug king in the movie.It's strange that this movie is cross-marketed with Spun so frequently. Yes, both are set in the world of methamphetamine, but Spun is an almost comedic train wreck of a drug trip, while The Salton Sea is a larger than life fable that happens to be set in the world of the Southern California meth industry.