Denzel Washington plays a rogue CIA agent hotly pursued by enemy agents who hands himself into the US. embassy in Cape Town as a way of escape from them. He is then taken to a "safe house" where he is to be interrogated but things go awry when the house is attacked by other agents wanting him. A young inexperienced CIA agent (Ryan Reynolds) must then try to take control and get the rogue agent to another safe house.
This is the kind of film in which the audience doesn't know the good guys from the bad, including the CIA agents. There are double crosses and tons of explosive action, with plenty of hand held camera fast edit action scenes from director Daniel Espinosa (there's a certain edgy power here, though too much of it can get on my nerves after a while). There is also a harrowing waterboarding scene.
Washington's character, while considered a traitor to the U.S., is also regarded as a legend within intel circles, having been successfully on the run and eluding all attempts to capture him for a decade as he spills out secrets on various intelligence agencies for the money. Washington plays him as a cool professional, virtually unruffled by all around him, even during an interrogation in which illegal methods are employed against him.
In a film in which so many characters are scummy or potentially scummy, I found myself rooting for Washington. Rogue agent or not, he is one cool customer, and I had to admire his style. Of course, Washington is a powerful screen presence. Any time he's on screen it's all but impossible to take your eyes off him.
Ryan Reynolds, as the somewhat naive CIA agent dealing with him, is adequate, no more. The rest of the cast, including Sam Shepherd as the head of the CIA, is quite good.
This is the kind of film in which the audience doesn't know the good guys from the bad, including the CIA agents. There are double crosses and tons of explosive action, with plenty of hand held camera fast edit action scenes from director Daniel Espinosa (there's a certain edgy power here, though too much of it can get on my nerves after a while). There is also a harrowing waterboarding scene.
Washington's character, while considered a traitor to the U.S., is also regarded as a legend within intel circles, having been successfully on the run and eluding all attempts to capture him for a decade as he spills out secrets on various intelligence agencies for the money. Washington plays him as a cool professional, virtually unruffled by all around him, even during an interrogation in which illegal methods are employed against him.
In a film in which so many characters are scummy or potentially scummy, I found myself rooting for Washington. Rogue agent or not, he is one cool customer, and I had to admire his style. Of course, Washington is a powerful screen presence. Any time he's on screen it's all but impossible to take your eyes off him.
Ryan Reynolds, as the somewhat naive CIA agent dealing with him, is adequate, no more. The rest of the cast, including Sam Shepherd as the head of the CIA, is quite good.