Staff Writer
Denzel Washington’s newest action movie, Safe House, proves that it is truly a safe bet when you put Washington in his best role. Playing an intimidating and mysterious bad guy who is feared by everybody, Washington fits comfortably in a script that was made for him. Add Ryan Reynolds as an inexperienced C.I.A. agent forced with the task of keeping tabs on Tobin Frost (Washington), the most dangerous threat to the United States, and you get a compelling mix.
The movie keeps action at a fast pace and develops an average story that leaves certain key parts out to keep the audience guessing to the very end. Ryan Reynolds’ character Matt develops his combat skills quickly and almost unbelievably to the point where he goes from being Paul Blart to Jason Bourne. However, Reynolds did work convincingly with Washington, as the two were very entertaining on screen together.
Reynolds also works his way through the relationship aspect of the movie convincingly and barely slows the pace of the movie.
The movie has many flaws, including your generic C.I.A. headquarters and plot. The “who-is-betraying-who” storyline gets a little played out and drags on through the movie, and the ending comes as a relief when the plot finally unveils. While the movie does have a few flaws, Washington kept me entertained throughout the entire movie. His performance can’t be compared to Training Day, but it still delivers enough to make the movie enjoyable and proves that Denzel is still one of the best actors around. As an alternative to a Valentine’s Day-esque chick-flick, definitely check out Safe House.
Tyler Stinson may be reached at tstinson@springfieldcollege.edu