Savages

Director: Oliver Stone

Overview

Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone adapts author Don Winslow's best-selling novel into this all-star ensemble crime drama about a pair of peaceful, Laguna Beach marijuana dealers who are targeted for extortion by the ruthless Mexican Baja cartel. Ben (Aaron Johnson) is a devout Buddhist and dedicated philanthropist, and his best friend Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is a former mercenary who trained as a Navy SEAL. They may not seem like major drug dealers, but together they make a comfortable living selling top-quality marijuana. And they share more than just a profitable business; their mutual girlfriend O (Blake Lively) is more than enough woman for the two ambitious young entrepreneurs to handle. But just as Ben and Chun are feeling like they're on top of the world, their blissful life of lawless hedonism threatens to yield dire repercussions. The Mexican Baja cartel wants a piece of the action, and their cruel leader Elena (Salma Hayek) has dispatched her top hatchet man Lado (Benicio Del Toro) to ensure that she gets it. When the cartel kidnaps Ophelia and threatens to kill her unless Ben and Chun comply, the desperate pot dealers enlist the aid of a shady DEA agent (John Travolta) to try and avert a tragedy. Emile Hirsch and Uma Thurman also star.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/07/2019
UPC:	0191329100172
Original Release:	2012
Rating:	R
Source:	Universal Studios
Time:	2:22:00

Special Features

Deleted scenes; Feature commentaries with the filmmakers; Stone Cold Savages: the Making of the Film - A comprehensive, 5-part 'Making Of' filled with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the entire cast and crew including John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Benicio del Toro, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively and Oliver Stone.; Origins; The Savages; Real savagery; A savage set; Savage cuts

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Taylor Kitsch	Chon
Aaron Taylor-Johnson	Ben
Salma Hayek	Elena
Benicio Del Toro	Lado
Blake Lively	O
John Travolta	Dennis
Emile Hirsch	Spin
Shea Whigham	Chad
Demián Bichir	Alex
Jana Banker	Volleyball Girl
Candra Docherty	Grow House Girl
Patrick Fourmy	Marijuana Distributor
Gary Stretch	Badass Biker
Diego Cataño	Esteban
Karishma Ahluwalia	Chad's Girlfriend
Joaquin Cosio	El Azul
Jonathan Carr	Valet
Antonio Jaramillo	Jaime
Jake McLaughlin	Doc
Alexander Wraith	Sam
Anthony Cutolo	Billy
Kurt Collins	Waiter
Amber Dixon	Sophia/Cartel Girl
Leonard Roberts	Hayes/O's Security
Joel David Moore	Craig
Ali Wong	Claire
Sala Baker	Motorcycle Cop
Sandra Echeverria	Magda
Tara Stone	Mall Shopper
Matthew Saldivar	Cartel Technician
Sean Stone	Eric/Marijuana Grower
Wilfredo Lopez	Strip Mall Cartel
Marco Morales	Cartel Guy
Lucinda Serrano	Myrna
Charlie Haugk	DEA Agent
Samuel Medina	Passenger
Ben Bray	Cartel Member
Gonzalo Menendez	Hernando
Maya Merker	Elena's Maid
Donnabelle Mortel	TV News Reporter
Trevor Donovan	Matt/Magda's Boyfriend
Leana Chavez	Gloria/Mexican Girlfriend
Gillian Zinser	Beach Girl
Florine Deplazes	Beach Girl
Kaj Mollenhauer	Sarah/Dennis' Daughter #1
Lexi Jourden	Hannah/Dennis' Daughter #2
Charles Ingram	Cartel Sniper
Akima Castaneda	Indian Castaneda
Denis Garcia	Tribal Cop
Eddie Follis	DEA Agent
Holly Follis	DEA Agent
Mía Maestro	Dolores
Schae Harrison	Dennis' Wife
Stephen Dunham	Actor

Technical Credits

Oliver Stone	Director,Screenwriter
Todd Arnow	Executive Producer
Evan Bates	Associate Producer
Moritz Borman	Producer
Mark Byers	Special Effects Supervisor
Mark R. Byers	Special Effects Supervisor
Philippe Carr-Forster	Camera Operator
Cindy Evans	Costumes/Costume Designer
Sarah Halley Finn	Casting
Yvonne Garnier-Hackl	Set Decoration/Design
Chris Haarhoff	Camera Operator
Joe Hutshing	Editor
Eric Kopeloff	Producer
Stuart Levy	Editor
Thomas Machan	Set Decoration/Design
Alex Marquez	Editor
Dan Mindel	Cinematographer
Donald Murphy	Asst. Director
Adam Peters	Score Composer
Shane Salerno	Executive Producer,Screenwriter
Fernando Sulichin	Executive Producer
Lisa Vasconcellos	Art Director
Tomas Voth	Production Designer
Don Winslow	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Money, drugs, politics -- it's business as usual for Oliver Stone in Savages, a thinly veiled critique of the often-criticized War on Drugs that never forgets its first goal is to entertain as it tells the tale of two enterprising California pot growers drawn into a vicious war with one of Mexico's most dangerous drug cartels. Ben (Aaron Johnson) is a devout Buddhist and dedicated philanthropist, and his best friend Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is a former mercenary who trained as a Navy SEAL. They may not seem like major drug dealers, but together they make a comfortable living selling top-quality marijuana. And they share more than just a profitable business: Their mutual girlfriend O (Blake Lively) is more than enough woman for the two ambitious young entrepreneurs to handle. But just as Ben and Chon are feeling like they're on top of the world, their blissful life of lawless hedonism threatens to yield dire repercussions. The Mexican Baja cartel wants a piece of the action, and their cruel leader Elena (Salma Hayek) has dispatched her top hatchet man Lado (Benicio Del Toro) to ensure that she gets it. When the cartel kidnaps O and threatens to kill her unless Ben and Chon comply, the desperate pot dealers enlist the aid of a shady DEA agent (John Travolta) in order to avert a tragedy. Whether you agree or disagree with Stone's politics, it's an artist's duty to challenge the status quo. By exploring how drug policies that favor punishment over compassion actually increase violent criminal activity rather than curb it, and packaging that message in the context of a pulpy, entertaining thriller, Stone fulfills this duty with stylistic flair. And though Savages may not soar to the deliriously expressionistic heights of Stone's most controversial and challenging works, perhaps the restraint shown by the director is a sign of maturity given that the subject matter practically invites artistic overindulgence. While a less experienced filmmaker might have been tempted to try and visualize the effects of Ben and Chon's powerful strain of marijuana, Stone relies on his actors to express them, and in the process keeps us involved in the story rather than sending us on any distracting, THC-fueled flights of fancy. Sadly, the three actors chosen to convey this also prove to be Savages' greatest flaw; while Kitsch, Johnson, and Lively prove adept at looking convincingly stoned, their range of emotions is notably muted, making them function better as archetypes rather than sympathetic, believable characters. And with a talented supporting cast who outshine the three key players, the balance just feels slightly off. Travolta and Del Toro are the stars of the show here, with the latter in particular looking like he's savoring his role as a diabolical villain who's sure to make viewers' skin crawl. Hayek, meanwhile, infuses her ruthless cartel leader with a flash of humanity that's fascinating if not entirely effective given her character's heinous methods. The screenplay by Stone, Shane Salerno, and Don Winslow (who penned the book Savages is based on) does a commendable job of juggling multiple storylines, though some are likely to feel cheated when the writers make a not-so-subtle attempt to have it both ways in the tense climax. Ranked among the director's impressive body of work, Savages qualifies as mid-grade Stone, fitting comfortably and naturally into a filmography in which greed, hypocrisy, and violence are common themes. Think of it as Scarface's pot-smoking celluloid cousin -- the one who chooses the mellow buzz of weed to the amped up rush of cocaine, but still gets weird enough that you wouldn't necessarily want to crash at his pad for the weekend, regardless of the spectacular oceanfront view.

All Movie Guide - Jason Buchanan