I have no use for Oliver Stone’s wrongheaded movies, and not surprisingly his latest, Savages (2012), is more interesting than truly good. It is very interesting, though, in my view; an intriguing drug-cartel drama. For the most part it is poorly written–forget the film’s dumb suggestion that there are “beautiful savages” here–but it’s dramatically sobering and visually seductive nonetheless. Or at least it’s visually seductive when it avoids Stone’s filmic pretentiousness; it is Don Mindel’s fine cinematography with its seaside colors that gives the movie its look.
Histrionically Benicio Del Toro (as a drug-trade bully), Salma Hayek (as the Baja cartel leader) and John Travolta (as a corrupt cop) carry the film. Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively do not. Travolta gives it all he’s got, with acting that’s tough-fibered and unself-conscious. Hayek is pleasantly solemn.
David Thomson, on the Internet, is right: Savages is trashy, and not because Kitsch bares his bottom. It’s quite a sensationalistic stew. Even so, Thomson accepts the film and so do I. Reluctantly.
Taylor Kitsch (Photo credit: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer)
I missed Salma Hayek on movies, she’s one of my favorite latina actress! And I can’t wait to watch this.. When it will be released?
“Savages” was released a couple of weeks ago.
I saw the film and I am not really that much happy about it. The only thing that got me interested in this one is the theme.
I will watch the trailer first of this film so if I like it I will include this on my movie list.
The best part of the film is watching stunning Salma Hayek play the ruthless Elena who heads the cartel but can’t control her own university student daughter. Elena order O’s kidnapping and that sets up an ever increasingly violent series of payback events by Ben and Chon in order to try to force Elena and her sadistic enforcer, Lado (Benicio Del Toro), to give O back.
I love the casts on this movie so definitely I will watch this one.
I will watch the movie first before I could say regarding about the Savages movie. I will consider what you have said here.