There’s plenty of action at the Safe House
Review Synopsis
Safe House thrills and engages right through the end.
Opening credits
Safe House is a decent action flick, with not too many frills or loose ends.
Pulp
Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is bored out his skull and wants some action. He is the guardian of the CIA Safe House in Cape Town, South Africa. Away from the United States and constantly having to lie to his French girlfriend about his job, Matt is getting increasingly frustrated with his placement. New to the job, he has patiently executed his boring role, but now wants to get some field action. Safe Houses are a secure facility that CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) uses to hold its suspects and a point of contact for operatives and agents to the main agency headquarters in Langley, US. Just as he is about to give up, Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) turns up on his doorstep. Literally.
Tobin is an ex-operative who has gone rogue and is now wanted by many top intelligent agencies for illegally dealing with top secret information. He is feared for his exceptional ability to procure information as well as being one of the top agents during his time. He is in Cape Town to buy information from an MI6 agent. He is targeted by mercenaries while making the deal and in the shootout he takes refuge in the US Consulate.
Being who he is, Tobin falls into the hands of the CIA. They wish to keep him safe until he can be extradited to the states where CIA can question him before the US government takes over. The problem is that CIA’s best extraction team is hours away and until then Tobin needs to be kept safe. He is therefore hauled into the only safe house in the vicinity where Matt’s been praying for some action. Matt gets more than he bargained for when the mercenaries land up at the safe house in search for Tobin and the safe house is suddenly not safe anymore for either of them.
Will Matt be able to keep Tobin safe in the Safe House? Or will Tobin escape and throw Matt in poor light for not being able to show his superiors that he can do the job. Is there a bigger sinister plot behind Tobin and his dealings that’s got him cornered with every available gunman on hire? Will Matt be able to safeguard his guest of his Safe House? Matt has to figure out whether Tobin is an asset or just a top notch fugitive that he has to hold on too till his superiors turn up.
End Roll
Safe House is rapid fire action from the moment it starts. The editing is swift, the plot pretty straightforward and the direction clean. The story is simple to grasp and therefore all your attention is pretty much on the amazing, real life type action that unfold on the screen. The car chases and fights look extremely real and with the film having a gritty texture to it, like a documentary, it adds to the excitement that you almost feel you are watching a live cam experience.
Both Ryan and Denzel play out their roles cleanly. Denzel plays his part with aplomb. Most probably with his eyes closed. Ryan is increasingly showing more tenacity with his emotions and is beginning to mature as a good, strong actor.
Perspective
A good action movie to watch for the weekend. Won’t shout about it, but there is something in the film’s intensity that just makes you hold your breath till it’s over. Worth a peek.
Rating: 
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violence throughout and some language.
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