Safe House

         The movie “Safe House” is an action packed thriller staring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. The movie was quite entertaining, but I found the plot rather complicated. As a result, the movie was hard to follow. The action was dizzying at times. The basic story line was good and the good guy wins in the end.  Weston, Ryan’s character, understands what is right and most important to him and he goes for it. 

            The story begins with a CIA agent, Weston, who is bored with his life.  A traitor and manipulative man named Frost is brought into the secret compound where Weston works, for questioning and torture. When the compound is breeched and swat teams swarm the place, it’s Weston’s job to keep Frost safe and alive. They face several adventures as they realize there is a traitor in the CIA.  Weston becomes violent and kills the housekeeper of the second safe house. Both men end up badly injured.  As Frost is sitting on the ground, he tells Weston that Weston is the better man.  Right before Frost dies he gives Weston the computer chip he was tortured for, with the information on it.  Weston then reveals the truth to the media and then goes to Paris to join up with Anna his girlfriend.

            Ryan Reynolds who plays Weston does a believable job at portraying an innocent, bored agent who not only looses his innocence, but also finds his power and dark side.  His transformation is made believable through his acting. Denzel Washington who portrays Frost does a fantastic job of confusing the viewer, in the beginning and you don’t know whether he’s good or bad. Frost’s dark side is very real when Weston and him escape the compound, but as time goes on Frost seems to help Weston more than make his job difficult. Washington skillfully exposes some goodness in Frost.  As actors, both Washington and Reynolds seem to connect which makes the bond between more believable.  

            The film’s techniques were big. There were thousands of up close explosions that lite the whole screen with fire and burning ash. There were car chases that filled the whole screen. Many cars blew up too and because they were so zoomed in it made viewers dizzy.  There wasn’t much music it was all the sounds of the cars hitting one another, the sounds of explosives going off and in the end when Weston goes back to his girl in Paris there is calming at peace music playing.  

             I cannot speak to how the movie represents the book, because I have not read the book. 

            This movie was riveting, fast moving action that keeps the viewer’s attention and although it makes one dizzy at times the plot and the actors carry the attention to the end.  The effects are good, the actors are great and with Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington working together a bond is formed and the actors put on a believable show.