As co-directed by Jeff Springer and Chris Metzler, the documentary Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea travels to the titular body of water for an idiosyncratic look at a decidedly odd locale. An inland ocean with a close proximity to the urban areas of southern California, the Salton once clocked in as a veritable paradise - many tagged it "The California Riviera." By the early years of the 21st century, however, the Salton had dwindled to a decrepit ecological catastrophe. Plagues and Pleasures visits The Salton and meets many of its colorful residents, including an elderly nudist, an Eastern European man with revolutionary fervor in his blood, and a devout fellow who sees it as his mission to build a monument to God near the location - all of whom seek peace and harmony with one another. John Waters narrates.
~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide