Critiqued: Safe House

We all know Denzel Washington is the man. The dude can kick ass and take names. He has done it time and time again in films like Training Day, Man on Fire and Deja Vu. He does not disappoint in Safe House. The film is a straight up action spy thriller. As expected it has a dark theme and is predictable at times but that doesn't take away from the great action sequences and absolutely stunning cinematography. The film is primarily set in South Africa and the visuals are a treat to behold.


The film has a good cast and Vera Farmiga and Brendan Gleeson both deliver convincing performances. The real surprise was Ryan Reynolds. He can definitely do action movies as witnessed in Wolverine and The Green Lantern but there is always that Ryan Reynolds snide remark or goofiness in all the roles he plays. Not in this film though. His growth from a budding CIA freshman to a Senior Case Officer has been played to perfection. This was a serious role and he definitely stepped up his a game a notch. He showed he can act really well.

It is said that all great actors make other actors around them better. One has to wonder if that was the case here. Either way, this film will keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time. You won't regret the price of admission.