Savages Falls in the Middle of the Best Oliver Stone Movies

Oliver Stone can't do much wrong in my book. Even in the director's lesser movies, it's really tough to look away.

His eye-candy carries on with 2012's Savages, which is not one of his better films but, even at two-and-a-half hours, captures the imagination and is serious Hollywood cinema.

The main trio of friends (led by tabloid star and Ryan Reynolds' wife Blake Lively) are worthless pothead rich kids who get too deep into the drug trade. It's possible to cheer them on in their escapades, but the real drama is added by bad guys Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek, who are both deliciously unhinged and unpredictable. John Travolta is also great as the corrupt DEA agent in the middle of everything.

*** out of ***** stars

Of Stone's movies, here is where it ranks for me:
9. Savages (2012)
8. W. (2008)
7. Any Given Sunday (1999)
6. Natural Born Killers (1994)
5. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
4. JFK (1991)
3. Wall Street (1987)
2. The Doors (1991)
1. Platoon (1986)