John Travolta Interview For Oliver Stone’s ‘Savages’

Three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone returns to the screen with the ferocious thriller ‘Savages,’ featuring the all-star ensemble cast of Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Emile Hirsch and Demian Bichir. The film is based on Don Winslow’s best-selling crime novel that was named one of The New York Times’ Top 10 Books of 2010. Laguna Beach entrepreneurs Ben (Aaron Johnson), a peaceful and charitable Buddhist, and his closest friend Chon (Taylor Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL and ex-mercenary, run a lucrative, homegrown industry—raising some of the best marijuana ever developed. They also share a one-of-a-kind love with the extraordinary beauty Ophelia (Blake Lively). Life is idyllic in their Southern California town…until the Mexican Baja Cartel decides to move in and demands that the trio partners with them. When the merciless head of the BC, Elena (Salma Hayek), and her brutal enforcer, Lado (Benicio Del Toro), underestimate the unbreakable bond among these three friends, Ben and Chon – with the reluctant, slippery assistance of a dirty DEA agent (John Travolta) – wage a seemingly unwinnable war against the cartel. And so begins a series of increasingly vicious ploys and maneuvers in a high stakes, savage battle of wills. ‘Savages’ arrives in cinemas July 6th in the US and September 26th in the UK.

 I found the dynamic between Dennis and both Chon and Ben interesting, the trust issues….

John Travolta: Yeah. Dennis has an attitude towards Chon, but Ben is kind of the altruistic character so he knows Ben’s got a softer side. But still at the end of the day, they’re still in criminal behaviour. They all are. So you’re basically dealing with a bunch of criminals confronting each other and all of the dubious behaviour that can include. So even though you may like each other at moments, you don’t trust each other ultimately. So Ben and Chon don’t trust Dennis, and Dennis doesn’t trust them.

This film is energetic and relentless, how was it for you to actually work on?

Taylor Kitsch: We had a lot of fun, it was very intense to be on. And I think you feel all of that in the film. I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people, it really will – in a great way! And we were just saying, these films don’t get made. It’s rare. It was so fulfilling as an actor to be on something like this.

John Travolta: This is Oliver Stone at his best. ‘Savages’ is quintessential Oliver Stone. The writing, the directing, the tone, his care for performances. It’s current, it matters, this movie says something yet it entertains like crazy. And yet through all of this current events, political overtones, violence, sexiness… there’s this question of what will you do for love? This movie is really about what these two guys will do for love. If you underbelly it all with that, that’s an amazing combination (laughs).