Three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone brings to life this ferocious, sexy epic. In a glittering California beach town, two best friends' innovative marijuana business has come to the attention of the ruthless Mexican Baja Cartel. As a seemingly unwinnable war unfolds around them, they're forced to take part in a savage battle of wills to save the girl they both love. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Travolta, Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek.
I've always had a lot of time for Oliver Stone, I think he's a great writer / director whose made some classic films over the last 30 years. Granted, there have been a few misfires here and there (e.g. 'Natural Born Killers', 'World Trade Centre', 'Any Given Sunday') but he's still one of the most innovative auteurs working in Hollywood today. 'Savages' sees Stone back in 'U-Turn' territory with a character driven crime caper based on a novel by Don Winslow. The story focuses on a polyandrous relationship between Californian surfer chick Blake Lively and best friends / Marijuana dealers; Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Taylor Johnson. The trio are all set to sell up their cannabis racquet and go legit abroad, but when an expanding Mexican cartel led by Salma Hayek makes them an offer they can't refuse, its only a matter of time before things go south (of the border).
'Savages' takes a while to get going but once we're introduced to all the players; their motives, moves and counter-moves make for compelling viewing. Aaron Taylor Johnson and Taylor Kitsch are the brains and brawn respectively whilst Lively is the ditzy, free spirit, pseudo-hippy: everyone's hopelessly in love with everyone else so it's a relief when they're separated and things kick into high gear with some realistically violent, suspenseful action sequences.
An all star cast attack their roles with reckless abandon, going all out to create bold, colourful characters that you'll remember after the credits have rolled: There's the brilliant Benicio Del Toro as a sleazy, menacing cartel enforcer who remains believable despite the fact he literally twirls his moustache. John Travolta, in one of his best performances in years, is a corrupt FBI agent trying to play both sides, Salma Hayek is the OTT cartel boss whose half Kaiser Soze and half Meryl Streep in 'The Devil Wears Prada' and I've got to mention the underrated Mía Maestro who plays Benicio Del Toro's put upon wife in Mexico. Maestro doesn't have much of a role but plays off Del Toro and successfully manages to convey the drudgery of their marriage in a few short scenes.
The leads are reasonably good too: now everyone seems to hate Blake Lively but I thought she was OK here, not particularly great but its not as if she ruins the movie or anything, Aaron Taylor Johnson likewise but its Taylor Kitsch who, once again, gives a great performance in a film that no one really saw. It's a shame that so many people have written off this potentially great young actor so early on in his career: I thought he made a superb Gambit in 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' whilst 'John Carter of Mars' was criminally underrated and mugged by mob mentality critics, I won't defend 'Battleship' but 'Savages' gives Kitsch a good opportunity to play to his strengths as a cool leading man who can convincingly pull off an action scene.
Oliver Stone makes full use of the sun drenched Californian vista as well as the hot and humid dustbowls of the Native American reservations (listen out for Travolta's cruel gag about Native land) and cleverly plays with our preconceptions of the genre. A minor complaint would be that the American druggies are portrayed in a very sympathetic manner, whereas the Mexican drug barons are all complete lunatics, but 'Savages' is played in such board, almost comic book, strokes, that the charge of stereotyping would be a hard one to prosecute. 'Savages' is an entertaining return to form from Stone, its not the best ensemble crime movie ever made, but it held my attention for over two hours and should appeal to fans of films like 'Go' and 'The Way of the Gun'.
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Oliver Stone directs this fast-paced thriller based on the novel by Don Winslow, from a screenplay co-written by the author and Shane Salerno. Living the beautiful life, successful young Californian marijuana dealers, Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Johnson), suddenly find their lucrative business threatened when a Mexican drug cartel, Baja, kidnaps their shared girlfriend, Ophelia (Blake Lively), and demands a slice of the action. When Chon and Ben, with the aid of self-serving DEA agent Dennis (John Travolta), decide to resist the cartel's overtures and fight back, all hell breaks loose as the rival camps go head to head in a high stakes war for control. The all-star ensemble cast also includes Benicio del Toro, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch and Uma Thurman.
Please note this is a region B Blu-Ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-Ray player in order to play. Please note the UV copy is only compatible in participating regions, please visit the UV website for full details. Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone adapts author Don Winslow's best-selling novel into this all-star ensemble crime drama about a pair of peaceful, Laguna Beach marijuana dealers who are targeted for extortion by the ruthless Mexican Baja cartel.
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