Safe House (2012)

Directed by: Daniel Espinosa | 115 minutes | action, thriller, crime | Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Denzel Washington, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Joel Kinnaman, Sam Shepard, Liam Cunningham, Robert Patrick, Sebastian Roché, Tanit Phoenix, Jake McLaughlin, Rubén Blades, Nora Arnezeder

Cape Town, South Africa. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the impressive Table Mountain on the other, it is without a doubt a beautiful setting for a movie. A setting that has nevertheless not often been used in (major) films, and that while this metropolis is hardly inferior to other world cities. With the film ‘Safe House’, however, this is about to change and the large (film) audience becomes acquainted with this vibrant city.

Safe House tells the story of former CIA agent Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington). Tobin has been a fugitive for years and, according to the CIA, a huge threat to the US because he maintains close ties to all kinds of terrorist organizations. When Tobin in Cape Town, at first sight, just shows up at the American embassy, ​​he is immediately transferred to a so-called Safe House for questioning. This is a prison in a secret location where the CIA can do whatever they want with the inmates. No one else is aware of what goes on behind the walls of the Safe House. However, it soon becomes apparent that not only the CIA is after the infamous Tobin. After a heavy attack on the Safe House, the only two survivors are the guards of the Safe House, young Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) and Tobin, who now have to flee for their lives together.

‘Safe House’ makes no bones about what it will offer the viewer. The film has barely started when the first action scenes follow each other in rapid succession. The action is good in the movie anyway. In particular, the later scenes, such as one around a football stadium (the Green Point Stadium used for the last World Cup) where a match is just underway and a later shoot out in one of the many townships of Cape Town (Langa), are from a high level. These beautiful locations make the action even more impressive. These scenes, along with a long, spectacular car ride at the beginning of the film, make sure that the action movie buff is in the right place at ‘Safe House’.

Denzel Washington is ideally suited for the role of the mysterious Tobin. Now, there are few roles Washington isn’t suited for, as his impressive resume proves. And even though the first gray hairs are starting to show on his head, seeing Washington at work wouldn’t say he’s already approaching sixty. He beats through the (action) scenes just as easily and smoothly as in ‘Man on Fire’ (2004). It is partly because of this that the character of Ryan Reynolds is pushed into the background; Denzel really is in a class of its own and Reynolds can’t match this level.

You won’t remember the character of Matt Weston for long anyway. He is an ambitious young police officer who is waiting for a chance to prove himself. When he is stuck with Tobin, he sees his chance to show his qualities and arrest one of the most wanted criminals. Real chemistry between the two is unfortunately rare: where Denzel Washington quickly wins over you as a viewer through his stoic, closed and therefore intriguing attitude, Reynolds remains much too superficial. No matter how hard the makers try, you as a viewer will rarely be really touched by the character of the young Matt.

The story of ‘Safe House’ is also disappointingly little in the end. After the attack on the Safe House, Matt must try to get Tobin to another Safe House and above all not let him escape. The whole story is really little more than an excuse for the action scenes and excels a little too much in predictability. ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ recently proved that a wafer-thin story can still make a very good film, but unfortunately ‘Safe House’ never manages to match this high level. As a thriller, the story simply falls short and this is certainly a missed opportunity. A better story could have lifted the film above average, now we have to make do with nothing more than a decent action film. For the fans of such films and the fans of Denzel Washington it is definitely a must, but no one should expect miracles from ‘Safe House’.