Viewed – 06 July 2007  DVD

Denzel Washington is probably one of the most dependable actors in the industry – it’s almost like he doesn’t even have to try and give a decent performance – it’s just natural.  Now as the new whipping-boy to director Tony Scott, following up the acclaimed Man On Fire, this techno-thriller casts Denzel as a detective involved in an alleged terrorist bombing that kills over five hundred innocent people on a ferry in the opening moments.  Somehow he figures the murder of a local woman is linked to the attrocity, and soon becomes embroiled in a top secret project where the cop’s have access to advanced technology that allows them to see into the past.  At this point, I switched off my brain and let all the jargon wash over me, yet found myself getting caught up in Denzel’s plite to discover exactly what happened and maybe figure out a way of preventing it.

Tony Scott has put together an intelligent, eye-catching and exciting movie, with some mind-bending time-travel overtones, delivering a cat and mouse ‘how dunnit’ that is rather origonal.  Never before have I seen a car chase that has our hero chasing someone through the city who isn’t actually there but for footage via a headset of the villian’s vehicle in the past (!!!) – breathtaking and gripping, and quite often you can’t help but remark on some of the time travel mind-benders that are thrown at you.

Again Denzel is on fine form, and is every much the action hero, despite being in his early fifties.  If you love films that get the cogs moving in your head, and make you talk about it for ages afterwards – then this is for you.

Verdict: 4 /5