adminThe script, for at least two-thirds of the film, in many of his films, presents him to us as a villain.
But we, the faithful moviegoers that we are, know that ol’ Denzel always is, and always will be, the good guy. About halfway into the film we realise he has been pretending to be a bad guy to line up with the film’s storyline.
And so it is with the film “Safe House”. Denzel appears to run afoul of the American CIA, but we learn, if we are patient, that his behaviour enables in this case the CIA to ferret out one of its traitors.
His character in the film, by itself, won’t convince the CIA of the treachery in its midst; his actions force the traitor to reveal himself.
The film is highly recommended, especially for Harare residents, who have been forced to forgo trips to Cape Town. This delightful and energetic city by the ocean is the setting, and, bit by bit, we get to see all of it. They even squeeze in a football match in the giant stadium, crammed to capacity with frenzied fans.
In this case, our Denzel, if they go by their records, was, himself, a CIA agent, but “dropped out” six years ago.
His whereabouts and movements kept secret from the low-level CIA agents who have infiltrated using various disguises the precincts of Cape Town.
Much of this is barely credible, but who cares when the audience get to see Cape Town in all its glory.
As Tobin Foster, Denzel, plays a cat and mouse game with the low level agent Mathew Weston (Ryan Reynolds), leading him, by overtly suspicious behaviour, to have the well-disguised truth reveal itself.
The true villains in this piece are played by actors so ugly, vicious in their open and undisguised pursuit, with all their “artillery”,’ of Agent Weston through the open streets of the city, that I am called upon to ask:
“Has the city become so accustomed to villainy on its open streets that it no longer calls attention to itself?”
This one for the unrestrained action fans.
Online Reporter