Denzel Washington (Tobin Frost) stars in this latest action
thriller with co-star Ryan Reynolds (Matt Weston). Washington has been
off the big screen map for a couple years. Safe House gives him the
perfect venue to come roaring back as only he can.
The movie is
slow to start with the setup taking the first 20 minutes, filling the
audience in on the back story of the two main characters. Frost, an
ex-CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agent, has been rogue for several
years and has put himself in a position to make a large amount of money
while exiting the game with grand scale repercussions throughout the
world. While finalizing the deal, there are double-crossings going on
from every angle, putting Frost at the center and forcing him to retreat
to the US embassy in South Africa. He is quickly transported to a safe
house monitored by Matt Weston, an over-achiever trapped in his job.
Weston
lives with his girlfriend (Ana Moreau ), a French doctor who has been
accepted into a position in her native France. Weston and Moreau have an
open discussion about where they want to lay down stakes while both of
their careers expand. Ana is willing to go anywhere Matt would like,
although his boss is holding him back from moving up in his division. He
has created a facade that allows him the freedom to be late when it
becomes necessary to monitor the safe house for extended hours.
Frost
is now in US custody where the CIA can interrogate him under less
scrutiny in a country that is more tolerant of physical torture to
extract information. A team of interrogators with optimum combat skills
are assigned to protect as well as elicit statements using any means.
During the torture for information, an unknown group who had been in
pursuit of Frost has infiltrated the safe house compound. The two groups
have a day at the OK corral which leaves Weston alone in the locked
down interrogation room. It soon becomes apparent that he must move
Frost to a safer place.
The action becomes non-stop at this point
in the film. The car chases put even "The Fast and the Furious" to shame
as Weston and Frost zig-zag through the city, attempting to escape from
those looking to kidnap Tobin. Problems have only begun when Matt finds
himself alone and in charge of the safe keeping of Frost until the CIA
can get a crew deployed to South Africa. Meanwhile, Matt phones Ana to
let her know that he will not be home on time, but he will make it up to
her when they get together. She feels things are wrong along with the
trust she has for him, but she puts him at ease about being late.
The
film has very few twists and turns at this point, as just one mystery
remains. Who tipped off the group trying to kidnap Frost from the safe
house, and how did they even know where he was? This is what Frost
understands, and with his years as an interrogator he has the ability to
brief Weston on things that will happen along with the fallout of his
response. Frost cries wolf outside a stadium where Weston is to hand him
off to a team of CIA agents. Making a scene, Frost gets the attention
of guards who he makes believe that he has been taken hostage. The
guards put Weston in handcuffs while whisking Frost off to the infirmary
at the stadium. Weston points out that the guards have been overtaken
by Frost, and as the men watch the live video feed they realize he has
escaped. Weston escapes quickly following in the pursuit of Frost but
finds himself unable to stay on his heels.
He calls headquarters,
filling them in on the events that have transpired and advises them that
he has built knowledge of the city which will be an asset in tracking
him down. Weston knows that there were things Frost said to him during
their time together that will put Matt back on his tail. David Barlow
(Brendan Gleeson ) has been Matt's immediate supervisor for a long
period of time. He had consoled Matt when he was passed up for an
advanced position and knows that although young and in need of proving
his worthiness, he has the tools to get the job done.
Catherine
Linklater (Vera Farmiga ) is in direct contrast with Barlow.
Unfortunately, it was her team that was initially responsible for the
extraction and interrogation of Frost and they let him slip through
their fingers. Harlan Whitford (Sam Shepard ), the head of their
department, gives Barlow the go ahead, allowing Weston to stay in
pursuit of Frost. Both Linklater and Barlow head to South Africa to see
that nothing goes wrong this time. Frost is again in the custody of
Weston and the two have built a bond of respect during a shootout with
those determined to retrieve the microchip containing vital information.
Just
when you think the film has no surprises, it gives the viewer one that
happens so fast that if you blink, well you missed it. It does make you
sit up and take notice for the remaining of the movie. Oh no, I will not
give it away.
The one drawback is director Daniel Espinosa
continuously drawing the tear-laden Ryan Reynolds in an attempt to give
sympathy to his character. Sadly, this is not the way to have his
character portrayed as a young CIA agent who wants to build respect
while showing his maturity. It almost seems like the promotion that
continually alludes him is proved to be the appropriate decision. A
field agent who needs to affirm their competence should not be shedding a
tear, especially in front of their prisoner. Anyone in Frost's position
would take full advantage of his captor's emotional leakage.
The Jay-Z/Kanye West song "No Church in the Wild" that appears in the trailer is a grabber that is a perfect fit for the film.
David
Guggenheim could have put a little more effort into the dialogue,
giving Espinosa, Washington, and Reynolds a bit more depth so they could
explode on the screen with more than car chases. This could have given
more reason to score the film a five star.
[http://www.RUSTYSCAGE.COM/MOVIES]
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rachael_M_Kohrn/1144564
No comments:
Post a Comment