Savages

Directed by Oliver Stone; Written by Shane Salerno from the novel by Don Winslow

With: Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Anderson, John Travolta, Benicio del Toro,

Salma Hayek and Demian Bichir

With his pulsating new thriller, “Savages,” Oliver Stone shows that he is not ready to retire any time soon.

This film has every bit of the often-demented energy of his “Salvador,” “Platoon,” “Natural Born Killers,” “Born on the Fourth of July,” to name a few of his cinema successes.   

Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is a cynical combat veteran of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His best buddy is Ben (Aaron Johnson), a Buddhist Berkeley graduate idealist whose career ambition is to work on renewable sources of energy. And there is ‘O”, short for Ophelia, the wealthy live in girlfriend that they share in every way. She is mellow and sweet and everyone loves everyone. 

They live in a gorgeous home near the beach in Laguna Beach, Calif. They are doing extremely well because of their thriving marijuana business, specializing in medical marijuana. The stuff they grow is purer and better than any other. Life is idyllic.

Until a Mexican Drug cartel wants to be their partner. The violent and greedy Baja cartel won’t take no for an answer. From anybody. The cartel slaughters people in inventive ways, using chainsaws, accelerants, whatever would bring about the most agonizing death. Fingers and heads are severed. They film it all with their smart phones and post the grisly scenes on line. 

Lado (Benicio del Toro) is the sadistic enforcer who takes orders from the equally severe and perverse head of the cartel, Elena (Salma Hayek) whose husband and sons have all been murdered in the drug wars. 

Things do not go well after Ben and Chon refuse the Cartel’s deal. They have a contact, Dennis (John Travolta), who is a drug enforcement officer they pay off periodically. Dennis is also paid off by the Baja Cartel. Lots of double dealing goes on and no one can trust anyone. 

Something happens to ‘O’ and Ben and Chon will risk everything to save her. These mellow, laid-back pot growers must use violent and desperate measures to try to rescue her. They need to sink to the level of the cartel thugs.

Reference is made to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in “Savages.” After all, Ben and Chon are two good guys sharing one woman who get on the wrong side of the law. The action is non-stop and you may spend a lot of time on the edge of your seat.

Benicio del Toro plays the savage and simple Lado as nobody can. The dark hollows of his face, usually in shadow, make him all the more fearsome. Salma Hayek often steals the show as the cold and focused Elena, who has no mercy. Beautiful Blake Lively is the spot of innocence and purity in the grisly world of the Baja Cartel. It is soothing to watch her, Aaron Anderson and Taylor Kitsch as they lounge around their lovely property. Until they get a visit from Lado.

In “Savages” there are undoubtedly references to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. After all, Ben and Chon are two good guys sharing the same woman who get on the wrong side of the law.

Oliver Stone has beautifully filmed “Savages” in saturated colors. The turquoise of the Pacific Ocean is as lavish as the dark crimson of seeping blood. The action moves at breakneck pace, and it is hard to keep up with the body count. “Savages” splendidly illustrates director Mr. Stone’s take on the violence and greed of the drug business. It is horrifying.