Taylor Kitsch
Chon
Overview
Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel that kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
Cast
12 people
Blake Lively
Ophelia 'O' Sage
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Ben
John Travolta
Dennis
Salma Hayek Pinault
Elena
Reviews
6 min readThe Garden of Burning Men
I keep thinking about the opening shot. Not the one where the camera glides over Laguna Beach’s sun-bleached rooftops, but the one that comes right after—Ben (Taylor Kitsch) and Chon (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) standing in their hydroponic grow room, the plants stretching toward the light like something out of a biblical parable. The air hums with the quiet industry of men who’ve built a life on the edge of legality, but not yet crossed into the abyss.
It’s a moment of peace before the violence, and Oliver Stone, ever the provocateur, lingers on it just long enough to make you feel the weight of what’s about to be lost.
Savages is a film that wants to be many things at once: a sun-soaked crime thriller, a meditation on loyalty, a darkly comic takedown of the drug war, and a love story that refuses to play by the rules. It’s based on Don Winslow’s novel, and Stone—working with Winslow and Shane Salerno on the screenplay—condenses the book’s sprawling narrative into something tighter, meaner, and more visually kinetic.
The result is a movie that feels like it’s constantly revving its engine, as if Stone is afraid the audience might get bored if he lets the story breathe for too long. That’s both the film’s strength and its undoing. The plot is simple enough: Ben and Chon, best friends and business partners, share a girlfriend, O (Blake Lively), in a relationship that’s equal parts idyllic and unsustainable.
Ben is the gentle soul, the former Navy SEAL who grows the weed with a gardener’s care. Chon is the ex-soldier with a hair-trigger temper and a taste for violence. O, their shared center, is a woman who seems to exist in a state of perpetual motion, as if she’s trying to outrun something even she can’t name.
When the Baja Cartel kidnaps her, the two men are forced into a brutal game of cat and mouse with Elena (Salma Hayek Pinault), the cartel’s ruthless queenpin, and her enforcer, Lado (Benicio del Toro, chewing scenery like it’s his last meal). Stone has always been drawn to stories about power and its corruptions, and Savages fits neatly into that tradition. But where films like Platoon or Wall Street use their settings to explore systemic rot, Savages feels more personal, almost intimate.
The violence here isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character in its own right, erupting with a suddenness that leaves you reeling. One moment, you’re watching a tense negotiation in a beachside café; the next, a man’s eye is being gouged out with a broken bottle. Stone doesn’t flinch from the brutality, but he also doesn’t wallow in it.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.4/10
"A visually stylish but uneven crime thriller with strong leads that struggles to escape familiar tropes."
The film’s bold visual style and the chemistry between its lead actors, particularly Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively, are frequently praised for keeping the story engaging. However, many find the plot predictable and the supporting characters underdeveloped, which dilutes the impact of its more intense moments. The pacing and tonal shifts also leave some viewers frustrated, latestnetflix.com argues, feeling the movie doesn’t fully commit to its own ambitions.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performances Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively are widely credited with delivering compelling performances that anchor the film.
- Visually striking style Oliver Stone’s direction is praised for its bold, stylized visuals that elevate the crime thriller genre.
- Engaging chemistry The on-screen dynamic between the lead actors is highlighted as a major strength, adding depth to the romantic subplot.
- Intense moments Some scenes are noted for their gripping tension, particularly in the film’s crime-driven sequences.
Common complaints
- Predictable storyline The plot is criticized for relying too heavily on familiar crime thriller tropes, making it feel unoriginal.
- Underdeveloped supporting cast Many viewers feel the supporting characters, including big-name actors like John Travolta and Salma Hayek, lack depth and screen time.
- Uneven pacing The film’s pacing is described as inconsistent, with some scenes dragging while others feel rushed.
- Tonal whiplash The shifts between romance, crime, and dark humor are jarring for some, disrupting the film’s flow.
Recommended for
Fans of stylish crime thrillers Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively admirers Oliver Stone enthusiasts Romantic crime drama lovers Those who enjoy intense character dynamics
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsOliver Stone’s "Savages": The Gritty, Star-Studded Crime Drama That Divided Fans
Oliver Stone’s 2012 crime thriller Savages arrived with all the hallmarks of a high-octane, star-powered spectacle. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a trio entangled in the violent world of Southern California’s drug trade, the film promised a raw, unfiltered look at power, loyalty, and survival. But behind the scenes, latestnetflix.com contends, the production was just as intense as the on-screen chaos—if the limited evidence is anything to go by.
A Cast of Rising Stars and Hollywood Heavyweights
Savages assembled a mix of rising talent and established names, with Kitsch, Lively, and Taylor-Johnson at its core. Kitsch, fresh off his role in Battleship (2012), played Chon, a former Navy SEAL turned marijuana grower, while Lively took on the role of O, their shared love interest caught in the crossfire of a brutal cartel war. Taylor-Johnson rounded out the trio as Ben, a peaceful botanist whose ideals clash with the violence around him 
.
The supporting cast was stacked with A-listers: John Travolta as a corrupt DEA agent, Salma Hayek Pinault as the ruthless cartel queenpin Elena, and Benicio del Toro as her enforcer, Lado. Emile Hirsch, Demián Bichir, and Sandra Echeverría added depth to the ensemble, though their roles were overshadowed by the film’s central love triangle .
Oliver Stone’s Vision: Style Over Substance?
Stone, known for his provocative and politically charged films (Platoon, Natural Born Killers), brought his signature grit to Savages. The film’s nonlinear storytelling, rapid cuts, and hyper-stylized violence divided critics. Some praised its energy and bold performances, while others found it over-the-top and tonally inconsistent. With a runtime of 131 minutes and a middling 5.8/10 rating on SensCritique, it’s clear the movie didn’t resonate with everyone .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoJqAC-Emwk
Behind the scenes, Stone’s collaboration with Kitsch seemed particularly notable. The director had previously worked with the actor on W. (2008), and their reunion for Savages suggested a creative rapport. In a featurette, Kitsch, Lively, and Taylor-Johnson discussed the film’s themes of love and violence, hinting at the intense dynamic between their characters . However, details about on-set tensions or directorial challenges remain scarce in the available evidence.
The Trailer Hype and Fan Reactions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDv2Di-emIk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbf3JbBsdR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTYfNNBFTs
The marketing for Savages leaned heavily into its star power and shock value. Trailers emphasized the film’s brutal action sequences, Lively’s dramatic arc, and the high-stakes cartel war. Clips like "I’m a Savage" and the official U.S. trailer showcased the movie’s fast-paced editing and dark humor, promising a wild ride .
Yet, despite the hype, Savages didn’t leave a lasting mark on audiences. Reviews were mixed, with some calling it a stylish but hollow crime drama. The film’s lack of awards buzz or major cultural impact suggests it was more of a flashy, momentary thrill than a lasting classic.
What’s Missing?
The evidence leaves gaps in the behind-the-scenes story. Were there clashes between Stone and his cast? Did the film’s violent content spark controversy during production? Without deeper sources, these questions remain unanswered. What we do know is that Savages was a star-driven, visually ambitious project that ultimately struggled to stand out in Stone’s filmography.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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