DVD Review: Savages

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We lived like savages. Beautiful savages.

Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) share a very successful pot growing business. They also share O, (Blake Lively) our narrator. They want to get out, but not before a dangerous Mexican cartel takes interest in them. Led by Elena (Salma Hayek) and enforced by Lado, (Benicio Del Toro) they kidnap O and hold her as ransom. Chon and Ben are not willing to go down without a fight.

There are three main problems with Savages. 1) Taylor Kitsch 2) Blake Lively and 3) Oliver Stone. The two former, because they cannot act, and when the script actually gives them meaningful dialogue they recite it with little to no emotion. Oliver Stone has lost his touch. I was enjoying this movie despite the lack of quality acting to start, but then it just got crazier, more muddled, and produced one of the worst endings I've seen in a long time. One could argue that a movie about drugs should be a little crazy, and I agree. But this was getting to the point where things were not making much sense and seemed way to far fetched.

It's a shame this film wasn't better. Taylor-Johnson, Hayek, Del Toro and Demian Bechir all give great performances. Emile Hirsch even pops up, though he is criminally underused. They probably should've switched him and Kitsch around so we could have a better lead. On a side note, Jennifer Lawrence was originally cast as O, but dropped out to do the Hunger Games. I couldn't help but wish it was her on screen the whole time.

Recommended: No

Grade: D

Memorable Quote: "I could be your daughter." - O (Blake Lively)

Comments

  1. ruthJanuary 17, 2013 at 1:34 PM

    Even though I love Aaron Taylor-Johnson and you said he wasn't the problem here, I still have zero interest in seeing this. I've never been a fan of Stone's work to begin with and this just looks bad.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 3guys1movie.comJanuary 17, 2013 at 4:12 PM

    I liked the setting for this film as it was shot in my backyard so to speak. One of the major flaws with this film is that the main characters get consistently shown up by the villains. Hayek and Del Toro bring their A game and the rest of the cast is junior varsity at best.

    ReplyDelete

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