You've seen it all before (pun welcomed though not intended), and it's still good

Rating: 7/10 (20 February 2009)

We know that Denzel Washington can helm a thriller and we know that Tony Scott is more than capable of guiding him in such a project, so reasonably, expectations for "Deja Vu" are high. Knowing that the film puts a time travel twist on the traditional federal investigation thriller and was the first film to be made in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina makes the interest level soar.
"Deja Vu" ends up being one of those movies that meets your expectations. It takes the conventional aforementioned thriller full of CSI and mystery nuggets and combines it with a typical Hollywood sci-fi depiction of time travel. You've seen both before, just never like this, and the result ends up being --like you've seen it before. Deja vu anyone?
Washington plays ATF agent Doug Carlin who begins investigating the explosion of a boat in a New Orleans harbor believed to be an act of terrorism. When the FBI gets involved, Carlin gets pulled onto the crack team to figure out who did it. They introduce him to an incredible technology that via satellite allows for an invisible camera to travel four days back in time. Carlin, however, is not only interested in apprehending the killer, but is smitten by a young woman (the Halle Berry-esquire Paula Patton) that while dead in present time is central to the case, and he goes about trying to reverse her fate.
Scott's style with the film sort of cleverly imitates that of the "invisible camera" that goes back in time. He gets all these sweeping shots of the bay where the ferry exploded and aims to get as many perspectives as possible. If you want a director that will deliver surefire quality in this genre, there are few guarantees other than Scott. It may not be a touching or deep film, but it will satisfy viewers.
Washington does his job here too, taking over the film with his presence and giving it the sense of urgency and importance it requires. This is why he can play basically the same part over and over again from movie to movie and no one will say anything about it: he doesn't create a character, he just invests himself into the part. He just sort of makes every role his and it's so convincing that you don't care that you've seen it before.
The only thing not "standard" about "Deja Vu" is that Jim Caviezel was cast as the terrorist, a part usually reserved for an unknown actor in these types of films so that the antagonist is easier to hate. I can't say it makes a difference, because it's immaterial, but what really misses the mark is the film's attempt to insert some post-Katrina-sensitive patriotic themes. The way Scott captures the city with such great awe is testament enough to how it endured, there doesn't need to be anything in the script about it outside of mere setting context.
There's plenty of great action shots and mystery unraveling to keep "Deja Vu" interesting and the actors hold their own to create a solid film that although not capable of astonishing most viewers, will earn a lot of fans.