Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington
I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. Rogue CIA agent meets MI6 agent in a restaurant in Cape Town. Some information is passed. One of them doesn’t make it out alive. And the other is hunted down by some sinister looking dudes with heavy artillery.
What is this valuable information? Why are people being killed for it? If Denzel is really on the run from the CIA, why does he show up at the U.S. Embassy?
Well, you get the picture. Ryan Reynolds is Matt Weston, a rookie CIA agent who has the most boring job in the agency, it seems. He is the “housekeeper” for a safe house in Cape Town. For the twelve months of his posting, he has not had any “house guests”. When his first guest appears, it is none other than Tobin Frost (Denzel), the CIA’s most wanted rogue agent. When the safe house itself is attacked, Matt takes Tobin and runs. As the housekeeper, his number one priority is the safety of his guest.He doesn’t know who is after Tobin, or why, but he resolves to complete his mission.
Safe House is extremely loud and violent, as are all the action thrillers out there these days. Everyone seems to carry multiple weapons at all times. And they use them without regard to innocent bystanders. The actions is fast-paced, and much of the camera work is (deliberately) choppy and disjointed.
If you’re in the mood for a shoot-em-up that doesn’t involve much thinking, then this is the movie for you. If you’re feeling romantic or serious or thoughtful, then stay away. Overall, it was a fun diversion on a cold winter’s day.
La Bibliofille 