No filmmaker should strive to make a mindless action movie, but if that’s what you end up with, at least they work. You may not get a profound story, but you still get an entertaining film. On the other hand, if you’ve got something in the thriller category veering away from outlandish action and towards gritty realism, you better have the elements necessary to make that work, otherwise you’ll end up with something that’s noticeably forced and possibly confusing, lifeless and boring, too, just like Savages.
Ben and Chon (Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch) have the life. They’re wildly successful pot growers and dealers happily sharing their girlfriend, O (Blake Lively), in their beautiful home in Laguna Beach, California. When the head of the a Mexican drug cartel, Elena La Reina (Salma Hayek), wants in on their profits, the duo attempts to respectfully decline. Too bad for them Elena will not take no for an answer and in attempt to get in on their top-notch goods, she has her ruthless henchman Lado (Benicio del Toro) abduct O. Now, should Ben and Chon refuse to do business with her, Elena will have O killed.
Not a Blake Lively fan? You won’t last five minutes into Savages. In it for the action? I give you 30 minutes. Enjoy looking at Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch? You might make it to the midpoint – and that’s the midpoint in terms of running time; the Savages’ script is nearly devoid of structure.
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