It took a Facebook communiqué from a friend, asking what I thought about “Savages,” for my thoughts to crystallize:

“I was mixed,” I wrote. “Liked the action, thought the acting by the 3 heroes (and the writing for them) kind of sucked.”

Which about sums it up. This film by Oliver Stone, based on a snappy novel by Don Winslow (who cowrote the script with Shane Salerno), springs to life when the action gets cracking – and settles into stoned somnolence when it turns its attention back to its central trio. (More…)