Deja Vu

Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Val Kilmer, James Caviezel, Adam Goldberg, Bruce Greenwood
Running Time: 2h 08min

As you're watching this film you may get the impression that you've seen it once before. That's not because of the title, but more so due to the fact that it is the second collaboration between director Scott, actor Washington, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, previously united on Man on Fire.

That was a good film, and this one is no slouch either. Both visually stylish, Scott likes to tell stories through images rather than words or sound, and you'll see a lot of info and emotion communicated in slow-mo, or jump cut imagery. This suits his collaborators just fine, as Bruckheimer is known for his worldwide blockbusters, which must translate well into dozens of languages. As for Washington, it's been known for a long time now that he can do more with his pinky than most actors can do with their life's work, and rumour has it, Denzel isn't too hard on the eyes, with or without his mouth closed.

So, what are they doing together again, for the first time? Delivering an interesting twist on the crime scene reconstruction film. Washington's ATF agent arrives on the scene of a ferry explosion in New Orleans, and through the miracle of some new technology, is able to revisit the past week to try and reconstruct the events, and somehow figure out a way to catch the perpetrator, either before or after it happens(ed).

Now, it may sound confusing, and it is quite complicated, but c'mon!, this is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. So damn the logic, and on to the action. Denzel has this uncanny ability to raise the standard fare to the artistic, and he elevates this crime film to must see status. He is aided by two of Hollywood's funnier and forgotten castmates, Kilmer and Goldberg, as well as the seriously underrated Caviezel, who is on par with Washington; no small feat.

The film keeps the viewer riveted, as Washington turns up the emotional heat as the clock ticks nearer and nearer to the moment where time has run out. Given the sci-fi element, it is difficult to predict, as anything can and will happen, yet like most of Bruckheimer's summer fare, a quaint love story is somehow intertwined amidst all the danger and intrigue, giving the preset action sequences some emotional weight.

Scott's stunts and action set pieces are top notch, and could make this a decent film even with B-list actors. Yet having such a fun and interesting cast turns this standard (and bordering on the far fetched) action film into something the audience has come to associate with Denzel: another fine, solid, and thrilling caper. He never ever seems to disappoint, again and again. Which is where that sense of experiencing Deja Vu comes from.

Grade: B+