Recalling the fast-pace and ultra-violent style of his seminal Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone returns to the crime thriller genre with an adaptation of Don Winslow’s 2010 bestseller, Savages, enlisting a cast that includes Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Demian Bichir.
In the film, Laguna Beach entrepreneurs Ben (Johnson), a peaceful and charitable Buddhist, and his closest friend Chon (Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL and ex-mercenary, run a lucrative, homegrown industry – raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. They also share a one-of-a-kind love with the extraordinary beauty Ophelia (Lively). Life is idyllic in their Southern California town… until the Mexican Baja Cartel decides to move in and demands that the trio partners with them.
When the merciless head of the BC, Elena (Hayek), and her brutal enforcer, Lado (Del Toro), underestimate the unbreakable bond among these three friends, Ben and Chonwith the reluctant, slippery assistance of a dirty DEA agent (Travolta)wage a seemingly unwinnable war against the cartel. And so begins a series of increasingly vicious ploys and maneuvers in a high stakes, savage battle of wills.
ComingSoon.net sat down to speak with Stone and his Savages about bringing Winslow’s decidedly unique voice to the big screen. Check out the interviews in the player below and catch the film in theaters this Friday, July 6th.
