THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE DOPE BUSINESS
Release Dates
Australia: 18th October, 2012; USA DVD release 23rd October
Other Countries: Release Dates
Don
Winslow's audacious 2010 novel, "Savages" must be a page turner, if
the film is anything to go by. Whilst Three-time
Oscar®-winning filmmaker OLIVER STONE (Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth
of July, W.), famous for his idiosyncratic characters and ability to ‘savage’
performances from his actors, doesn’t always get it right in his latest
offering, he does get it there enough to make an entertaining film.
Be
warned, “Savages” is a reasonably apt description for where these characters fall
on the scale of likable, including the unsympathetic leads. Although Benicia Del Toro’s Lado, who is the
nastiest and least redeemable character, is a highlight. John Travolta also is magic onscreen reminding
us he has the acting chops to carry a heavy weight bad-ass persona.
Narrated
by ‘O’ (short for Ophelia) (Blake Lively) who is one lucky girl, she has two
gorgeous men in love with her Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch). They lead an idyllic life living in luxury on
Laguna Beach funded by Ben and Chon’s hugely successful dope business.
When
the Mexican Baja Cartel, run by Elena, (Salma Hayek) decide they want in on
this successful independent business they force the reluctant boys to join them
by kidnapping their love, O. These are
brutal people, who inflict their will by such charming disciplinarian measures
as decapitation by chainsaw, whipping and burning, or sending the gardening
crew around, headed by Elena’s enforcer Lado, to have a little talk. These
talks usually end in torture and death.
Ben
and Chon must find a way to recover O without alerting Elena that they are not in
compliance with her idea of their new partnership. Chon who is ex-Afghanistan Navy Seal,
commands a mini-army of ex-veterans, who somehow have managed to get hold of
mines, and all manner of weaponry to wage a cat and mouse war with Elena. They make good use quite brutally of the
dirty DEA agent (John Travolta), who provides some real comic relief.
All
of the characters, including the supposedly good guys, Ben, Chon and O begin as
morally bankrupt but as the story progresses Stone asks us to find an understanding
of the degrees of morality. You will
enjoy this out-of-control ride if you are prepared to accept those
degrees.
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Hi Madison, are you on Twitter? If you DM me I will give you my email address. I am @susanmaywriter Thank you also for your kind words.
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