When a Mexican drug cartel kidnaps the girlfriend (Blake Lively) of two successful California marijuana growers (Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Taylor-Johnson) as part of business negotiations, they decide to hit back hard. Oliver Stone returns to Scarface territory with this violent but also surprisingly sexy and entertaining saga about wheeling and dealing between major and minor players in the drug trade. The three leads are very attractive and easy to root for; Salma Hayek, Benicio Del Toro and John Travolta are a lot of fun (and their characters more complex). Goes on a little too long, though, and ends with an unnecessary twist.
2012-U.S. 131 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Oliver Stone. Screenplay: Oliver Stone, Don Winslow, Shane Salerno. Novel: Don Winslow. Cast: Blake Lively (Ophelia “O” Sage), Taylor Kitsch (Chon), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Ben), Salma Hayek, Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta… Emile Hirsch.
Trivia: Jennifer Lawrence was first cast as O.
