Safe House (BluRay Review)
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Posted: Saturday, June 23, 2012
by Marcus Kasabian De Storm
The Red Hive Publishing
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Writer: David Guggenheim
Cast of Character’s:
Denzel Washington...Tobin Frost
Ryan Reynolds...Matt Weston
Vera Farmiga...Catherine Linklater
Brendan Gleeson...David Barlow
Sam Shepard...Harlan Whitford
Nora Arnezeder...Ana Moreau
Robert Patrick...Daniel Kiefer
Liam Cunningham...Alec Wade
Joel Kinnaman...Keller
Fares Fares...Vargas
Jenna Dover...CIA Analyst
Stephen Rider Stephen Rider...Richards
Daniel Fox...CIA Analyst
Tracie Thoms...CIA Analyst
Storyline: Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a CIA rookie who is manning a safe house in Cape Town, South Africa, when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) the CIA's most wanted rogue agent is captured and taken to the safe house. During Frost's interrogation, the safe house is overtaken by mercenaries who want Frost. Weston and Frost escape and must stay out of the gunmen's sight until they can get to another safe house. Written by Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)
The DVD Archive Review: Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a Safe House Babysitter for the CIA, and he has been manning his post in Cape Town, South Africa almost as long as he can remember. His life in Cape Town is covert, other than the relationship which he in with Ana Moreau (Nora Arnezeder), who only knows that which Matt has told her.
The day comes when Matt is called up with the code words for a client to babysit, while in the background more sinister plans are taking shape and evolving. The client is that of a high profile Rogue CIA Agent – Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) – who is on the top of every Secret and non-secret Agencies most wanted list for treason and selling secrets to the enemy. It is now, with Tobin Frost that everything is about to get not only interesting, but it is about to give Matt the change of direction that only the very lucky CIA Agents expect from being an Agent…but at what price?
When we first pressed play on Safe House and saw the number of great actor’s names rolling up on the screen, the feeling that the film was going to be either ‘Good’ or ‘Great’ came to mind. It was, admittedly a little slow getting started for the first fifteen to twenty minutes, but this was not without providing the viewers with the necessary information they would need for the rest of the film. Fifteen to twenty minutes later and what we began to see evolving was the most accelerated, adrenaline fuelled, action packed movies in a very long time.
Denzel Washington’s character alongside Ryan Reynolds in this espionage spy action thriller had us rooting for both the good guys one minute, the next we were rooting the bad guys to do their worst, it was pandemonium with a twist of awesomeness. The sheer Cat & Mouse game between Denzel and Matt, as well as the rest of the CIA and other Agencies was spot on psychological turmoil that would have us riveted to the screen – seriously. This film would have been best seen at the cinema, respectively, though in this case the choice was not an option but to see it on the small screen instead. Nonetheless, it was worth it.
The slow beginning, as we pointed out was made good by the actual starter of the chase, which brings both ‘Rogue’ and ‘By The Book’ Agents into the only compromise available in such a heated moment – Trust and Team Work, which worked very well between the two – even if it was only for a short time.
It has to be said that the Casting in this film is very strong, if not soundly solid at all parts and avenues. You have to remember that here you have Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick, Brendan Gleeson and Liam Cunningham, who are main stream actors in their own right. So combining the talents of these Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, what you get is a movie worth more than its weight in gold for everything that a Spy Thriller Action fan would want and expect without question. Safe House delivers all of this and more, as when you see it for yourselves you will not be disappointed in the slightest.
Additional Information:
Cert: 15 (UK) / Rated R (USA) for strong violence throughout and some language
Official Website: Safe House On BluRay DVD
Box Office
Budget: $85,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $40,172,720 (USA) (12 February 2012) (3119 Screens)
Gross: $202,482,728 (Worldwide) (30 May 2012)
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Stuber Productions
Runtime: 115 min
Genre: Action | Crime | Mystery
© Marcus De Storm 2012/The DVD Archive 2012.
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