Finally, the first really decent movie of 2012. Denzel Washington stars as Tobin Frost, a former CIA agent now on the lamb for many years. Frost’s penchant for committing treacherous acts landed him on the CIA’s most wanted. Here, Frost acquired a computer file that contains every bad act ever committed by the CIA, MI6, etc. His goal, sell it for cash and bring scrutiny upon the agencies.
Unfortunately for Frost, a lot of folks do not want the information leaked (national security reasons, of course). Just about the time Frost is ready to make the deal, bad guys show up, try to kill him and attempt to take the file. Frost is left with no choice but to turn himself in to the American Consulate.
Once the CIA learns of his capture, they send a team in to move Frost to a SAFE HOUSE. Matt (Ryan Reynolds) is the house keeper. Matt is a hard charger and begs for a position in the field, but that’s not going to happen. The SAFE HOUSE turns out not to be so safe and the same bad guys that tried to kill Frost earlier have somehow mysteriously found the SAFE HOUSE. During the shootout, Matt escapes with Frost.
Matt has serious problems. Basically, everyone wants Frost dead, and Matt is in the way. The story is littered with CIA and MI6 agents working on the fringe, anyone of whom may be one of the bad guys. Frost himself, is somewhat less than cooperative. Matt and Frost, sometimes working together sometimes not, evade, outrun and outfight the bad guys right up until the final showdown.
The casting for SAFE HOUSE is outstanding. Sam Shepard plays a CIA chief, with Vera Farmiga and Brendan Gleeson his two competing underlings. Robert Patrick makes a good crusty CIA operative as well.
If SAFE HOUSE has a flaw, and I am not saying that it does, it is the similarities to the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and BOURNE franchises. I don’t just mean similarities in plot, but a scene or two feel and look exactly the same. The denouement especially stands out.
There is still hope for the films this year. So far, SAFE HOUSE is my number one movie for 2012 and garnishes four out of five airplanes.
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