Review: Deja Vu
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007Hey, guess what… this review will be completely devoid of jokes about having seen this movie before. Just wanted to get that off my chest.
Off the top of my head I can’t think of any movie I’ve seen Denzel Washington in that I didn’t like. This movie is no exception. It’s got it all—Sci-fi, Sci-fact, love story, action, and even a couple funny moments. And for a movie that has the potential to involve paradoxes, it handles the story pretty well, too.
While investigating a murder that seems to be linked to a ferry bombing, Denzel’s character sees the words “U can save her” spelled out in alphabet refrigerator magnets in the victim’s kitchen. That’s the first (obvious) hint we get that this movie will be different than just your run-of-the-mill action/murder mystery flick. When an FBI agent (Val Kilmer) approaches him about joining a team that can watch events unfold 4-1/2 days in the past to try to catch the killer, Denzel agrees, though he soon discovers there is more to this technology than he is being led to believe.
Director Tony Scott does a very smart thing in dealing with the science-fiction aspect of the movie: while it’s obviously integral to the plot, he never lets it become the focal point. It’s there, as a tool, doing its job, but the focus is always on the murder/terrorism plot, and specifically Denzel’s investigation. Even as we learn more about it, it’s never “oooo, look what we can do,” but rather, “how does this help us solve the case and save lives?” It’s a good move that keeps the film grounded in reality and makes it more believable.
While not perfect, the paradox issue is handled nicely. I do have some issues with items he finds at the beginning of the movie in the victim’s house, but it wasn’t enough for me to get bent out of shape about. I don’t want to give away anything, but I will say that some things shouldn’t really be there.
That said, it was a well-written, well-acted, well-directed movie. I was entertained for the full two (and a bit) hours. I also like the DVD feature of integrating behind-the-scenes documentary footage into the film as part of the commentary feature.
Four stars.
Technorati Tags: Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Bruce Greenwood, science fiction, paradox
Loading ...