Review of Savages (2012) by Brian R — 03 Jan 2013

Oliver Stone's "Savages" is a return to form for the director but on the other hand, I also saw "Savages" as another one of those summer, poetic, action picture where one hopes they've gotten their money's worth. Some will and some won't but in any case...

The story starts with Ophelia (O for short) narrating the tale of two Laguna Beach guys who grow and sell the best weed in California and possibly the world. She lives with the two guys named Ben and Chon. The amigos are in a very close relationship. Something Charlie Sheen wouldn't mind agreeing on. Then one day Chon gets a skype like video message from a drug cartel who wants to do business with the brilliant pot boys. Ben and Chon decide not to do business with the drug cartel. Big mistake. The cartel decides to steal their girlfriend Ophelia and from there the audience is suppose to go on this wild crazy ride. Imo this is where the film starts to drag...

Although "Savages" explains a lot through it's visuals and montages, the flaws is evident such as the casting and possibly the script. Blake Lively is sorta miscast as the spoiled Ophelia. In the novel she is described as a bisexual, free spirted chick with sort of an "I don't give a fuck" edge. In Stone's film she is straight as an arrow and not as free spirited as I would have thought. It was hard for me to believe that Lively, was seen with her clothes on when Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is giving it to her robust, missionary style. Lively's voice narration is sorta vague and hazy. Was her voice really needed for a film like this? I couldn't take her seriously to be honest or the three way relationship she keeps bragging about. I wish Stone cast someone like Mila Kunis, Lindsey Lohan or even Anna Ferris because these girls would know the character of O inside out showcasing a certain sexual gleam that would give any perverted guy a hard on in a matter of seconds.

Aarron Johnson is Ben who is suppose to be the leader of the trio but winds up as number three. He is one of the brains of the weed business but his real passion is helping kids out in far off lands where most people couldn't care less about. Taylor Kitsch is the bad boy Chon. The second brains of the business and is still in his Iraqi/Afgahnistan combat mode. Everywhere Chon goes his Navy SEALS squad is usually right behind him. So if Chon decides to go take a shower does that mean his squad would be guarding his naked ass a couple of meters away? I'll admit Kitsch's character was the most annoying because everytime he was with Ben, Chon would have to talk to him as if Ben was a three year old. Notice how Stone would cut to a reaction of Ben's face who looks like he wants to kick the shit out of his buddy for talking to him like an idiot but strangely turns to Chon and says "I love you man". Riiight...

The other characters involved in the picture is John Travolta as the corrupt DEA officer Dennis who is a snitch right from the get-go. Thinking more like a chess player to be ahead of everyone else while acting as if he doesn't know what's going on. Then there is the henchman Lado played by Benico Del Toro who loves to cut people's heads off with a chainsaw and shoot those responsible in the knees. Del Toro doesn't really have much to work with in the film but at the same time he isn't boring to watch and it's sorta astonishing to see how he uses force in the picture. Salma Hayek plays as the Queen Elena. Hayek is beautiful and at the same time she is ruthless. Her character reminded me of a Mexican Hitler.

I felt the film rushes pretty fast in a quick, messy haste. Probably because I was still thinking more in terms of the novel rather then the film. Other scenes were eventually cut like O's relationship with her mother but what was kept in--and it was sorta confusing to see O emailing to her mother on a laptop. I'm not even sure if O's mother uses the Internet but whatever.

I also had a difficult time with this...Would two well off guys go out and litterally risk their own lives to save a free sprit chick from a deadly drug cartel? If this were reality i'm sure these guys couldn't care less about Ophelia's well being but then again it's a movie and they both greatly love her. Livey's Ophelia is too soft, well mannered, she is not a spoiled brat, she is conscience of her body since she appears to have some clothes on as she is engaging in sex. In the novel, O is the complete opposite of Lively's character.

The visuals are pretty nice by cinematographer Daniel Mindel who tries to pay homage to Stone's former cinematographer Robert Richardson. Stone does a nice job of showcasing Dana Point, Laguna Beach, OC California, the surfers, the studs, the chicks and the beach lifestyle.

What about the weird endings? It's weird alright and i'm not sure if it was needed. The first ending comes right from the novel which I much prefered. The second ending reminded me of a cheap Hollywood pay off and well the final result is disappointing. There was a huge laugh from the audience since they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Is the ending suppose to be a joke? I can now finally understand why people were so bothered by this. I really wanted to admire a film like this since my fav filmmaker decided to go back to his dark roots but sadly Stone's film is not a success but a lil misstep for the famed dramatist.