Thinking Man's sci-fi

Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2017)

'Deja Vu' is definitely a film that you haven't felt like you've seen before *boom boom* - it's actually as 'original' as any modern Hollywood film is going to be. And by that I mean it's probably quite similar to a few others, but presented differently enough to make it worth a watch. And, if that's not enough of a recommendation, it has Denzel Washington in it. What more could you want? The ever excellent Denzel plays a cop who has to investigate a domestic terrorism incident where someone blows up a boat full of naval servicemen and their families as it draws into port in New Orleans. However, instead of taking witness statements and making public appeals, he chooses to team up with a shadowy government agency who have invented a machine that can 'look into the past.' However, just because they can peek into the past, doesn't mean they can easily identify the killer. Unfortunately, the machine can only look into the past exactly four and a half days ago – and time is constantly moving forward. Even in the past. Confused? Don't worry. Denzel will explain it better than I can.
Although, it is one of those films where you do have to pay attention. It's not one where you can check your Instagram account and wander off for a cup of tea. I'm not going to go into how the plot unfolds, as there's more to it than I've mentioned. If you're slightly put off by the sci-fi element, don't be. It works on many levels. Obviously, there's a strong sci-fi feel to it, but nothing too over-the-top and the machine has a 'real' look to it, like it could really exist in our world. However, it's primarily a cop movie where the good guy has to track down the bad guy. So, hopefully it should appeal to more than just fans of the sci-fi genre. And, obviously, you have Denzel. He'll probably never win any Oscars for his performance here, but it is definitely enough to lift the film to even higher heights.
Don't expect wall-to-wall action. This is definitely not a 'Transformers' movie. And it's all the better for it. Get ready to follow closely and see what the future holds for the war on terror. Or should that be the past?