Denzel Washington Goes Rogue in 'Safe House'

By DOUGLAS SCHULTZ

If the idea of a dozen roses, a box of chocolates, and hand holding makes you want to gag all over a Valentine’s Day card, why not celebrate the holiday with some gratuitous, espionage action violence?

“Safe House,” starring the ageless Denzel Washington and action-regular Ryan Reynolds, is the perfect combination of spy-related plot twists, car chases, shootouts, and unnecessarily large silencers on guns being used in public places.

The movie centers around Matt Weston (Reynolds), a rookie CIA agent who is tasked with escorting rogue agent Tobin Frost (Washington) into custody. Of course, the mission becomes more complicated, and the endless action ensues.

While the plot may be predictable and laced with all of the canned action movie twists we are used to, all of the elements of a great Denzel Washington movie are still there: Denzel is his usual cocky, calmly intimidating self; and matched up with Reynolds, one can’t help but draw comparisons to his role as Alonzo with Ethan Hawke in “Training Day.”

The style of the movie is very reminiscent of another Denzel classic, “Man on Fire.” With grainy, in-your-face camera work and chaotic action shots, viewers get the feeling that they are right there with Washington and Reynolds in the movie’s setting, Cape Town, South Africa.

So, if you’re tired of all the mushy stuff being sent your way this Valentine’s Day, treat yourself to some Denzel at his finest; you wont be disappointed (and ladies, Ryan Reynolds takes his shirt off too, that’s got to be worth the price of admission, right?).

Image courtesy of filmtrailer.com