Savages (2012)

Elevator Pitch: Chon and Ben are successful marijuana growers, living in California, with their collective love interest, Ophelia. They are targeted by a Mexican drug cartel, represented locally in Lado a vicious gangster, and as a result offer to hand over their business. But the cartel want them as well, and in order to make their point they kidnap Ophelia, requiring them to go on the offensive. They have cards. They pay off a DEA man, Dennis Cain, and Chon is an ex-Navy Seal  so can call on military assistance. But can they rescue their business and get Ophelia back amid the escalating violence?

Content: Some graphic sex, with not quite nudity. A lot of casual drinking and smoking of marijuana. There are some extremely unpleasant scenes on video of severed heads and headless bodies, and several scenes where Lado kills people apparently for little reason. Our heroes are forced to participate in the burning of an informer. Several shoot-outs in the desert with sniper fire and explosions. One or two intense meetings with the DEA man.

A View: This outing mostly goes pretty well, although I have found that I have a bit of a job with the two guys and a girl, theme. It somehow does not quite fit in with normal human relationships. Also after all the great tension which was developed as the Mexicans seem to be more or less invincible, I found the ending a bit of a let down, but obviously I don’t want to spoil it for you, if you are inclined to see it. So probably a Sunday afternoon watch with a couple of beers, but not with your granny.

 More films about stuff happening on the Mexican border reviewed on this site: Get the Gringo, Sicario, No Country For Old Men,