Or in other words: 'sh!t gets real.' Here in Déjà Vu, we get the same sober treatment of 'time travel' movies. It brought a degree of sobriety and realism to a genre dominated by fantasy and cheesy special effects. Although best known for the more mainstream 'Top Gun', 'Days of Thunder' and 'Beverly Hills Cop II', he first turned heads with his phenomenal debut 'The Hunger', which was to vampire flicks what Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' was to scifi flicks. Tony Scott, younger brother of Ridley Scott ('Alien', 'Blade Runner', 'Prometheus'), was just as stylish and atmospheric with his films. First let's go back in time, as this movie does (speaking of which, here's all you need to know about Déjà Vu's plot in 1 sentence: the movie opens with a tragedy in the first 5 minutes, and the remaining 121 minutes take our hero on a wild ride to unravel the truth and possibly. Tony Scott committed suicide by jumping off a bridge in 2012. Then I noticed who directed this film: the late, great Tony Scott. Not that there's anything wrong with that, they can't all be 'Agent PW' (Peewee Herman), but with the oversaturation of such action flicks it's easy to let one slip past you. It's become a favourite.įirst glance of Déjà Vu's DVD cover presents what appears to be another action flick with a bunch of good looking people looking too cool for school. DEJA VU is full of suspense and excitement, a real cinematic thrill-ride that I never get tired of re-watching.

It's the detective elements that I really enjoyed here and it makes me wish Washington could have starred as a detective in his own TV show, a la COLUMBO.

There are action elements including a car chase and shoot-out but they fit well with the flow of the story.

The romantic elements of the story hang together well and aren't overdone. Washington is on top form here playing a quick, smart, imaginative, witty, and brave detective working for ATF and trying to catch a bomber who blew up a ferry with all on board. It's also a fine, well thought-out little time travel movie whose plot is up there with that of the excellent underrated Spanish flick TIMECRIMES. Some of their older outings have dated somewhat over the years (try watching the overt flashiness of MAN OF FIRE for example) but this one just feels stronger and stronger as the years go by. DEJA VU might just be my favourite pairing of Tony Scott and star Denzel Washington.

Top secret movie deja vu