Review of Déjà Vu (2006) by Tommy T — 14 Sep 2010

I wanted to like this film more than I did. It has a great cast: Denzel Washington, the attractive Paula Patton, Val Kilmer, and Jim Caviezel. It starts out like a standard cops and terrorist/killer scenario, (shocking to start with) and ends up in a time travel premise that goes a bit over the top. The trouble with that is, you have to reveal that premise way too early, and then its a desperate scramble to tie-up the plot and loose ends, and create a satisfactory conclusion.

That may be why it falls apart of its own weight about half-way through, and becomes a bit too predictable. It doesn't help that each of the main actors is in their accustomed roles, Denzel as the driven detective type, Caviezel as a loony, etc. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, it was perhaps too soon to use New Orleans as a backdrop for another disaster. However, It's not all bad. The visuals and action are pretty good, and the intensity never flags much. It's mostly enjoyable, as long as you don't think about the plot too much.

It's really a tribute to the intensity of Denzel and his co-stars that we are engaged all the way through.

It's all been done before, but it might be worth a rental if you like thrillers with weird science.