Review of Savages (2012) by Adam F — 01 Apr 2013

"Savages" isn't perfect, but it's a pretty decent film. What works is the fact that the movie knows it's about an ugly subject so it doesn't hold back. It's unrelenting in its violence, with brutal scenes of torture and intense, gruesome deaths.

There's genuine tension and you are afraid of the Mexican drug cartel when you see to what lengths they will go to in order to intimidate and coerce people into complying with them. It also has a refreshing and honest depiction of the unique relationship between the main characters (played by Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Blake Lively) that will stick with you and will make you care about them.

It's easy to say that the... unusual relationship that the three have might turn some people off completely from the movie, but you have to applaud it for trying something different and actually making a bold decision and sticking to its guns.

That said, where the movie really doesn't work is the ending, which feels like a studio-mandated conclusion to please squeamish audiences. It's a complete betrayal to the themes and previously seen violence of the film and belongs in an entirely different story and to make it worse, it comes right after a point where the story could (and should) have clearly ended.

This is not a Hollywood fairy tale about stoners who get into trouble or wacky hijinks. It's extremely violent and even the toughest audience members may have to look away at some of the more intense scenes but a last-minute addition really undermines the rest of the movie.

If you can handle "Savages", you'll be (mostly) happy with the way it plays out. (Theatrical Cut on the big screen, September 4, 2012).