- GENRE: Thriller
- MPAA RATING: R
- RUNTIME: 115 Minutes
Spies will be spies in ‘Safe House’
Photo Editor
Intelligence agencies around the world, such as the CIA and MI6 are shadowy, dirty organizations willing to do anything to safeguard the security of their home nation. These agencies recruit the best individuals they can find who will put duty before all else. Sometimes an agent turns against his government and must be hunted down.
Is it just me, or does this sound like every spy movie ever made?
“Safe House,” staring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, attempts to spice up the spy movie genera by throwing in an anti-hero who does bad things but for good reason. But even that has been done before.
Reynolds stars as Matt Weston, an underrated CIA agent in charge of maintaining a secret interrogation room, known as a safe house, in Cape Town, South Africa. For months, Weston’s only guest is boredom until Tobin Frost (Washington), the world’s most notorious spy and traitor, idly walks into the U.S. embassy and turns himself in.
Weston, shocked to have such a high-profile criminal in his safe house, follows his assigned orders until he is attacked by a large group of heavily armed men. Unsure how the bunker was found, why it was under attack and knowing that Frost is too valuable to lose, Weston grabs Frost and abandons the safe house.
“Safe House” contains all of the predictable elements found in every spy movie: illegal operations, war in the shadows, double-crossers and a hidden truth that would make a conspiracy theorist drool.
The visuals are passable and there is enough fighting and chase scenes to keep viewers interested in the action without distracting from the main plot.
This film is by no means terrible; it’s just not original at all.
Unless you’re a big fan of spy movies, or Denzel Washington, “Safe House” is a film only worth seeing at the matinee discount. For spy fans, Safe House is entertaining and provides a decent amount of satisfaction while they wait for “The Bourne Legacy” to hit theaters this summer.
Genre THRILLER
Rated R
Runtime 115 min
QUALITY 16 $7
