"Savages"

Rated R
2 hour 10 minutes

(WWLP) - Without exception, the movies of Oliver Stone are grim, controversial, provocative and marvelously directed.

"Savages" looks at a couple of Marijuana growing California yuppies who fall in with a murderous Mexican drug cartel. John Travolta effortlessly plays a Federal Agent on the take. He's both their confidante and business advisor.

Their mutual lover, Blake Lively, is caught squarely in the middle of a high stakes, double dealing power play. Benecio Del Toro is positively scary as the Cartel's brutal enforcer. It's one of his most intense performances. The machinery of corruption is about to take its toll on Travolta. He's about to have the rug pulled out from under him.

You'd better stay sharp to keep up with the ever changing loyalties at the core of this crisp, intricate film jockeying for power. Salma Hayek gives a dazzling performance as the brains behind the Cartel. She convincingly reduces brutes twice her size to cowering thugs. You'll notice right away that "Savages" is a stylish, high grade crime thriller for grown ups only. "Savages" doesn't offer much of a message beyond this is the way to earn three stars.

Rarely have so many unsavory characters provided you with such an entertaining evening of immorality.