The trailer for “Safe House” was awesome. When Denzel Washington told a young CIA agent that “I am already in your head,” it became a must-see movie. Who wouldn’t want to see him manipulate and charm his way through two hours of an international espionage thriller?
So much potential. So little accomplished.
The basic plot is familiar. Rogue agent Tobin Frost (Washington) is in Cape Town, South Africa, trying to sell a secret that implicates corrupt high-level CIA officials.
With the ubiquitous Eastern European thugs closing in, Frost takes refuge in the American consulate and turns himself over to the CIA. But whoever wanted to kill Frost in the first place isn’t giving up. A bloody gunfight later, the only agent still alive is rookie Matt Weston, played with lots of vulnerability by Ryan Reynolds.
At this point, the movie essentially becomes Weston chasing Frost through Cape Town’s streets, slums and soccer stadiums. Along the way, he learns some shocking secrets about the CIA, unless you’ve seen the Jason Bourne movies, in which case you know what’s coming.
It’s impossible not to compare this movie to the “Bourne” trilogy: unfavorably, as it turns out. Reynolds simply can’t carry a movie like this. He is too nice and sympathetic, and too short on Matt Damon’s lock-jawed determination.
Washington, meanwhile, shows why he’s a multiple-Oscar-winning star. The best parts of “Safe House” come when Frost, dripping with seductive sangfroid, plays psychological games of cat-and-mouse with his would-be captors. Reynolds is also at his best when interacting with Washington, struggling to keep his values and his sanity in the face of Frost’s dominating presence.
Unfortunately, these scenes make up far too little of the movie. Director Daniel Espinosa has all the pieces for a phenomenal thriller, but most of the screen time is spent on running, punching, and erratic machine-gun firing. Weston and Frost remain undeveloped, and forget about any secondary characters. Weston’s girlfriend Ana (French actress Nora Arnezeder), for instance, is really only there to look good in advertisements.
Washington is devilishly fun for about five minutes, and female moviegoers probably find Reynolds easy on the eyes despite his character’s shortcomings. But you can find something better to do with your evening. Have you seen the trailer for “Act of Valor?” Now that looks sweet.
ptimmis@hillsdale.edu
