Deja Vu --- Denzel Washington prepares you for the truth
Written: Nov 22 '06 (Updated Nov 22 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Denzel Washington, great premise to the story, interesting film I will see again
Cons: transparent at times, too many explosions, ending needed a little work
The Bottom Line: The film has a very interesting premise, with some great acting by Denzel, but could have used a few edits and improvements in the end.
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| three_ster's Full Review: Deja Vu |
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Director Tony Scott are back with Denzel Washington in a film called Deja Vu. Having been successful with Man on Fire, this film brings a lot of the same quick camera work that kept that film exciting. This is of course a different film, with a different premise, but I thought it wise to point out the previous history of this group. Denzel plays ATF agent Doug Carlin, who has been called to the scene of a terrorist act. Someone has blown up a New Orleans ferry on the eve of Fat Tuesday, and 500+ have perished as a result. The reasoning as well as the methods used to execute this travesty is up in the air, and Denzel is asked to help investigate exactly what happened. Right away he takes the screen by storm, and his much like always, his commanding presence is felt.
As puzzle pieces start to present themselves as to what has happened, more questions arise, and Carlin is forced to question his understanding of time and space. A victim recovered has the burns of an explosion, but was picked out of the water an hour before the boat actually went up. FBI agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) comes on scene, and recruits Carlin to join a new task-force that he has been placed with. This new branch of the government has been working with a grant that allowed them to do experiments that have resulted in a discovery. Through their technology, Carlin may have a chance at solving this riddle, and if he can figure everything out before it’s too late, may just save many lives. That right there is a loose view of the plot, with many details left out, in order to insure that anyone reading this doesn't have the story spoiled for them.
The enjoyment of this film could be primarily surrounding the mystery of an audience member heading into it for the first time. Not knowing exactly what to expect, or how the movie is going to unfold could be key for someone to really enjoy this film. At the heart of the story, there are some surprises to be had, and I surely believe that some of them will be hard to figure out just from seeing a preview or reading a review that doesn't give away everything. Behind the flashy story that is the central attention of the action and drama of Deja Vu, there is the story of the woman who Carlin is trying to save. She gets into his mind and beyond, and at times he seems more willing to sacrifice his own life to make sure nothing happens to her. It almost seems like an obsession, as the woman has never even met our main character.
As always, I really enjoyed Denzel Washington. He brings is regular A-game to this film, and he carries a lot of scenes that might not have worked with a lesser actor. In fact, I think there were times where the movie was able to get away with loose ends as well as plot holes, simply because it has Denzel at the helm. His supporting cast isn't a very grand one; consisting of Val Kilmer as a lead FBI agent and Jim Caviezel (The Passion). I liked Caviezel as well, but didn't think Kilmer was so hot in his part. You get exactly what you expect here with Bruckheimer and Tony Scott, with many explosions that add to the excitement, but also don't seem to quite fit at other times. When the drama slows down, they use the explosives to pick it back up, with differing results. In the end, the previews showed exactly what you were getting with this film, and if it looked interesting then, you will probably enjoy the film. Though there were twists in the story that could have been vastly improved, and an ending that needed more editing, I came away enjoying Deja Vu, and think that most viewers will probably feel the same way.
Review of Man On Fire
Recommended:
Yes
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