With a filmography that includes
thrillers like Platoon, Wall Street, JFK, and World Trade Center,
director Oliver Stone has never been one to shy away from controversial and
emotionally-charged subject material, so it is always worth paying attention
whenever his name appears during the Coming Attractions. When I first caught wind of Savages, I do have to admit that my
interest was piqued over the fact that the narrative was positioned as a gritty
thriller focusing on the drug trade, a genre that hasn’t exactly been prevalent
in recent years. Given the fact that
Oliver Stone wrote 1983’s bloody, cocaine-filled classic, Scarface, it looked like Savages
would offer plenty of no-holds-barred violence, all while treating audiences to
a talented ensemble cast. Granted,
Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson might not be household names, but
Hollywood heavyweights like Salma Hayek, Benicio del Toro, and John Travolta,
were sure to draw curious crowds. With
so many popcorn films saturating the box office, Savages had the potential to be the gripping thriller that would
represent a very welcome change of pace.
Deftly portraying the dichotomy
between the perceived glamour and harsh reality of the drug trade, Savages showcases engaging and
thoroughly unhinged characters, who in all honesty deserved a more coherent
story than what was ultimately presented.
As the leading men, Kitsch and Taylor-Johnson work remarkably well
together, with their differing personalities offing a perfect protagonist
balance and showcasing talent that audiences will undoubtedly see more of in
the future. And when it comes to the antagonists,
Salma Hayek and Benicio del Toro are both brilliantly psychotic, brutal, and
downright scary, so much so that you definitely get edgy whenever they walk on
screen. However, on the other side of
the cinematic equation, Oliver Stone more than demonstrates his talent as a
director, but I can’t help but believe that he overplayed his hand, sacrificing
coherent storytelling for artsy and sometimes downright confusing
cinematography…and having Blake Lively as your narrator certainly doesn’t
help. So, even though Savages does have its share of memorable
and entertaining moments, overall quality is far too sporadic to qualify this
crime thriller as a must-see.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
