Deja Vu (2006) User Reviews

Very good...

[Thanos_Alfie · 7/10 · 15 January 2022]

"Deja Vu" is a Crime - Sci-Fi movie in which we watch an A. T. F. Agent trying to find who is responsible for a ferry bombing in New Orleans. He uses surveillance technology to investigate and find the bomber.

I liked this movie because it was full of suspense and its plot was very interesting and unexpected at many moments. The direction which was made by Tony Scott was very good and he presented very well his main characters while he succeeded on creating a mysterious atmosphere and make the audience feel it. The interpretations of Denzel Washington who played as Doug Carlin, Jim Caviezel who played as Carroll Oerstadt and Val Kilmer who played as Agent Pryzwarra were very good. In conclusion, I have to say that "Deja Vu" is an interesting movie and I recommend it to everyone.

Reality Crime Thriller With Neat Sci-Fi Twist

[AudioFileZ · 8/10 · 16 April 2007]

I usually like sci-fi when it's pure sci-fi. I usually like present day drama when it's believably real. Disaster, at least for me, looms large when sci-fi meets real life drama. So here we have a present day crime thriller crossed with sci-fi time travel...And, this movie kicks butt, works so well, in fact, it's nuances should be studied in film school. It's original enough to be compelling-where we are not in some distant future, but the here and now.

The story, the characters, and the effects mesh well to suspend belief to the point that you "get on-board" and enjoy the ride. This is the way to do sci-fi with believable real life situations. The cinematography, the implementation of technology, and even a beautiful (but presently dead) damsel in distress, combine to give the actors, who are uniformly good to excellent, the boost to put this in rarefied good sci-fi territory. Genre fans are shoo-ins and those who think they don't like sci-fi should enjoy this one too. 7.5 to 8 out of 10.

See Deja Vu... twice (har har)

[rooprect · 24 March 2017]

First 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. 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. Then I noticed who directed this film: the late, great Tony Scott.

Tony Scott committed suicide by jumping off a bridge in 2012. We'll get to that in a minute. 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... change it?).

Tony Scott, younger brother of Ridley Scott ("Alien", "Blade Runner", "Prometheus"), was just as stylish and atmospheric with his films. 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. It brought a degree of sobriety and realism to a genre dominated by fantasy and cheesy special effects. Or in other words: "sh!t gets real."

Here in Déjà Vu, we get the same sober treatment of "time travel" movies. It's not just Marty McFly flooring a suped up Delorean and cruising into the past. Rather, we are presented the somewhat credible idea of being able to observe the past in real-time, similar to the way our telescopes allow us to observe the past of stars unfolding in real-time even though they have burned out billions of years ago. That's about all we get as far as explanations which I think is good. Nobody wants to spend 15 minutes talking about flux capacitors and stuff when people are about to get killed.

The action doesn't let up for a single moment. That doesn't mean that there are continuous car chases and shootouts, but what I mean is that there's a thick air of tension that Tony Scott achieves even during quiet moments because there is always a sense of impending peril. Take the opening 5 minutes, for example. Even if you hadn't read the IMDb description (which I always advise people not to!) and even if I hadn't told you that there's a tragedy in the first 5 minutes, you can feel something is going to happen because that's what Tony Scott conveys to us from the 1st frame.

A quick word about the acting, even though it should be obvious with Denzel Washington: fantastic. He reprises his signature action role of a loner who's somewhat cynical but not above showing tremendous humanity and compassion in addition to explosive outbursts. He also adds some great comedic moments, although most of the film's comic relief is handled by the excellent Adam Goldberg (remember Chandler's psycho roommate for 3 episodes of "Friends"?) who plays the fast talking, sarcastic, pop-culture-quoting computer nerd "Denny" who throws out zingers referencing everything from "Saturday Night Live" to "Airplane!" Now back to director Tony Scott and his suicide (you thought I had forgotten).

The undisputed power of this film is carried by its mystery. I'm not just talking about whodunnit, but more importantly: whydunnit? Powerful themes of fatalism vs. free will, acceptance vs. action, and even a tasteful dose of logic vs. spiritualism are thrown at us around every corner. The result is a thriller where we can't figure out the director's strategy or motive until the very last scene. Some filmmakers are somewhat predictable (you always know Disney will end happy, you always know John Carpenter will end with a few gallons of blood). But here Tony Scott plays with his cards so close to his chest, and not only that but he fakes us out quite a few times, that your fingernails will be deeply imprinted in the armrest of your chair or the flesh of the unlucky person sitting next to you. And isn't that how Tony Scott left this world? An unexplained suicide (although some family members mentioned a secret battle with cancer, the coroner's official report showed no cancer, no serious medical conditions), the only thing that everyone could agree on was that Tony's leap from the bridge was "inexplicable". Who knows, maybe watching this film will give you some insight into the mind of the great director. Perhaps coincidentally, a bridge figures into this movie as a prominent symbol.

Who knows, maybe you just wanted to watch a run-of-the-mill action flick with a bunch of good looking people looking too cool for school. But there's so much more here. Déjà Vu will definitely make you do a double-take.

Delightfully intricate

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 5 October 2021]

Deja vu is one of those intricate action thrillers that requires a bit of faith and attention, but it does it so well. The cast is outstanding, each playing their part with depth. The storyline is well developed and plays out in an interesting and exiting way. This is by far my favorite Denzel movie.

Tremendously enjoyable

[mforce · 7/10 · 8 August 2008]

I had never heard of this movie, but it appeared on cable and when I saw the cast, I figured "how bad could it be?". I thought it was terrific. Nothing of great dramatic or historical significance, of course, but who cares? Denzel is his usual infinitely watchable self, Val Kilmer is quirky with yet another interesting dialect and Adam Goldberg is fantastic. All three are smooth, assured and entertaining. A lot of posters and reviewers talked about how "unbelievable" the science fiction aspect of the plot was, but that never bothers me. Once I figure out what I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief about, I just do so and enjoy what the filmmakers are doing. I actually found this particular sci-fi plot quite intriguing and really liked having to try to follow its twists and turns through the action.

As has been said before, this is definitely a Sci Fi/ Film Noir/Action/Romance. How many of those have you come across? Highly recommended. Big fun and smart besides.

Near perfect hi-concept Hollywood sci-fi fantasy hero film

[A_Different_Drummer · 9/10 · 29 August 2015]

The reason I waited a few years to do this review is that I wanted to see the film a few times - something that reviewers should consider before dashing off a critique.

I have seen Deja Vu four times top to bottom and my comments:

1. Near perfect hi-concept film. Involves sci-fi, time travel, detective work, etc. But when push comes to shove it is about connection and saving the person you love.

2. Technically flawless. Well written. Great acting. And with Denzel holding the camera scene to scene even if there were some flaws, you would not notice them anyway

3. I will be honest. The picky reviews bother me because the purpose of the IMDb is to create a record for viewers of the futures, not a whine fest for reviewers of the present. I am a film buff (see my other reviews) and I tried to make a list simply of other films in this category, yet alone films that are this good. Maybe a dozen tops in the last 100 years. Which means that films like this are rare and when a good one comes along you treasure it, not belittle it.

Highly recommended. Hi emotional impact. A feel-good film.

Denzel's most driven performance?

[Jerique · 7/10 · 6 August 2010]

I've seen countless Denzel movies. I've seen Training Day, Bone Collector, Fallen, etc. You take his best action flick and pit it against his best dramatic flick. It doesn't matter the genre, Denzel can't make a bad film. It doesn't matter the demand, Denzel's emotion exceeds your expectations.

From most of his films, I've seen, Denzel plays some form of a federal agent or police officer. In this film, while Denzel shines with the rays of the sun, Adam Goldberg, Val Kilmer, James Caviezel, and Elden Henson also perform vigorously in supporting cast.

I especially enjoy the fact that Denzel can go from antagonist Alonzo Harris (Training Day) to protagonist Detective John Hobbs (Fallen) to protagonist-antagonist John Archibald in John Q to this powerful performance of protagonist Doug Carlin. Then you have James Caviezel who can play a protagonist in Frequency (2000) to this antagonist.

It's plot is something to behold, most of all. When it comes to time travel it's one of the top things to discuss about movies. When you finish (and even during in some cases) you can't help but talk about the dilemma of going back and changing something for better or worse.

I know that it's fictional, but it's fantasy and I allow for it because at least the screenwriters have tried to connect realism to their storytelling. With the actors showcased, you can't help but be grabbed and dragged into this spellbinding tale about a hero.

It's been four years since my first viewing of Deja Vu and yet this second viewing is better. After watching over two hundred films or more between the first and second viewing, I think it's hard to remember every little detail about the great masterpiece of cinema that it is.

While it's rating is PG-13, I think that children should avoid this simply because it's disturbing and this is a type of film where you have to think while watching.

U can save her Déjà Vu

[jaredmobarak · 9/10 · 24 November 2006]

It's a real shame that everything I had read about Déjà Vu concerned the high-powered explosions and loud clatter of guru/producer Jerry Bruckheimer. No mention, except maybe as a footnote, was given to A-list director Tony Scott and the magic he has woven in his past three films. The man who brought us Top Gun has seen a sort of revival in style lately with the entertaining Spy Game, the amazing Man on Fire, and the kinetic Domino. Scott has taken the quick cuts of music videos and has infused them into his shooting style. His editor better be making some good money as these films fly by with filters, jump-cuts, grain, and camera angles swiveling at every turn. Greatly overshadowed by brother Ridley Scott and his more serious, award-winning epics, Tony has been pumping out some of the most solid and entertaining films of the past couple decades. With a reuniting of semi-regular star Denzel Washington, Déjà Vu proves that when Bruckheimer is paired with a like mind, his usual drivel can become great. Scott shows us how to hone the explosions, noise, and clutter to an effective level and gives us a helluva ride.

Déjà Vu could have easily reduced itself to timetravel farce, going by the books to show a time warp in order to solve a crime. The far-fetched premise of being able to see the past as it happens four and a half days later should seem crazy and by watching the previews you are given the idea that it will be just a series of do-overs. Fortunately the trailers these days show a totally different movie than what has been crafted. Scott and his screenwriters have not only developed a sci-fi tale seeped in enough reality to at least be looked upon as plausible for the sake of the story, but they nicely tidy up any chance of their being a plothole. Our story begins with a devastating domestic terrorist act upon a ferry carrying over 500 people, Navy and family. Washington's ATF agent is brought in and discovers that it was no accident. Intrigued by the efficiency he displays, an FBI agent, played with nicely effective restraint by Val Kilmer, calls him in to check out a new toy they have to find who the perpetrator is. During the use of this screen of the past, Denzel acquires a feeling of obligation to do all he can to prevent what he sees from occurring in the present, no matter what consequences that might entail for the future. The quest to stop the violence begins with an attractive young woman who unknowingly has become an integral part in what will ultimately transpire.

The beauty of this film is that with multiple timelines being shown parallel to each other, there are many questions that desperately need answering. To credit all involved, they appear to have put themselves in the audience's shoes and piece-by-piece wrote in a reason for everything. Anything that is seen either in the past, present, or future has a reason for being there and will be intelligently explained. Also, the performances are stellar, Denzel and Kilmer as well as a quietly maniacal Jim Caviezel and the emotionally exasperated Paula Patton, and the visuals unique. While Scott has toned down the ultra-kinetic cuts and filters for the main action, his style is still stamped on the graphics of their screen showing the past. The motion trails and speed scans lend a stylized digital editing program feel and are gorgeous to watch. Déjà Vu's best sequence, however, is the crazy car chase during the present in pursuit of a vehicle in the past, definitely a rush and orchestrated almost flawlessly. Even though Ridley gets the accolades and Tony gets the hack/overproduced label, I must say, while they are the best directing duo in Hollywood, I might have to give the edge on pure cinematic entertainment to the younger Tony. He is on a roll and doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

A decent thriller with the right amount of twists in it, yet an amusingly corny packed ride

[dragonshield · 6/10 · 3 May 2007]

This movie was pretty much what I expected. Nothing too serious, just a fun ride from the beginning till the end. The plot has this good twist in it, which makes the movie interesting and there is overall pretty much the right amount of sci-fi and thriller blended together.

What to expect from a movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer? Explosions, gun fights, car chases and over the top dramatized scenes. Well, that's pretty much what you get from Déjà Vu. The movie's enjoyable, but like said before, it's nothing too serious. Denzel Washington is entertaining as usual, a right man for the role indeed. Don't expect this movie to contain any phenomenal role performances, as that is really not the case when it comes to movies like this one. This is just another perfect example of a movie which is only made for entertaining purposes. If you want to see this and you see this, it's what you expect it to be, nothing more or nothing less, you finish the movie with that usual smile on your face. Your entertain level is satisfied.

The movie's a big cliché overall, quoting myself on what said before; Over the top dramatized scenes. I mean, it's so predictable. The cinematography almost does that all for you; Fast forwarding, slow motions, shaking the camera, the screen flashing white every now and then.. I could go on and on, but oh well, you get the point. That is sadly pretty much what the cinematography always does in these kind of movie nowadays. It's like every possible way of cinematography is already used before and no-one tries to make anything unique anymore. You could always just cut down the cliché(ish) ways and keep it simple and normal. Well, then the movies like these wouldn't actually be movies like these, so the cinematography does what it's supposed to do after all. You can't complain about that, now can you? The music is also used to make it more over the top and it's just a bunch of corny compositions put together to make the movie more emotional, but for me it's more like a bad joke. Overall the music is also so predictable, giving a random example of that; "Now he sees a dead man, now his eyes freeze, now he walks next to the body, close-up shot of the body, corny piano music starts playing, close-up to the main character's eyes, now a tear drop, oh how sad" Yup, got it right again. So predictable. Well, you can't complain as then again, you get what you order.

Like I mentioned before, the plot has this good twist in it and it does make the movie interesting. It's also a bit unique in its own way. Though it is surprising at first, it's all downhill after that, as then it catches that famous predictability. Well it's not as bad as you may think from that last sentence, it's just is what it is. Despite from all of this negative feedback I'd still recommend the movie if you're looking for an action packed ride with a bad ass lead actor in it.

An absolute thriller...

[wilkinsd-1 · 9/10 · 22 November 2006]

I'll start by saying that I was reluctant to even see this movie but after some insistence by family, I sat and watched in pure enjoyment.

Articles, reviews, trailers, TV spots, DO NOT do this film justice. Denzel Washington pulls out another great performance as well as an aged Val Kilmer. While some will point out that the plot is hard to swallow, it doesn't matter because it's wrapped up in sheer entertainment. You feel for these characters. There are no holes to be found in either the plot or it's twists. It's believable at the same time unbelievable. If you can get past the middle 20 minutes or so while they explain what the team can do, you're in for a great ride.

I can't, in three paragraphs, paint a picture like Deja Vu. Of the many films Mr.Washington has put out over the last 4 years or so, this is by far his best if not one of the best of the year.

Highly recommended for the open-minded.

Don't Worry Baby

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 6 December 2006]

Greetings again from the darkness. Explosions, Noise, Helicopters, Car Chases and guns ... all staples from a Tony Scott/Jerry Bruckheimer production. All of these are most certainly abundant and at the usual sensory overload level. What is a little surprising about this one is the somewhat complex, if almost impossible to believe, story line. Sure time travel and parallel universes are common in film, but the whole criminal element is a nice little twist to the theme.

Denzel does his customary strutting through with his favorite partner ... his enormous ego, but it somehow works here. Val Kilmer is drastically underused as Mr. FBI and Adam Goldberg somehow only gets to fire off a couple of wise cracks during his scenes. The spark for the film actually comes from Paula Patton as the victim-or-is-she? and Jesus (Jim Caviezel) as a really bad guy "patriot" Sure, the film is pure malarkey as far as being reasonable, but as escapism, it is actually much better than anticipated. The best news ... no Jon Bon Jovi or Bryan Adams songs on the soundtrack!

It Really Got Me

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 28 March 2008]

I've seen and read so many time travel things over the years that I know one could pick at this forever. Still, once we embrace the technology and go with the plot, it's hard to stop watching. This evaded me when it first came out. I rented it and was captured. First of all, it's that cool Denzel thing he does. Especially when he is quizzing someone. He knows he's the man and he leaves the person being spoken to looking to see if his wallet has been stolen. I remember some of this from "Remember the Titans." The passing in and out of realities begs the question of what will happen to the characters when they make it back? Especially if we like them. And we do. The government, of course, does what it can to screw up, but the rebel always get his way, doesn't he? This is a film one thinks about long after seeing it. I decided to ignore the science and just enjoy it. I would have given it 9 but there are some plodding parts in the middle. It also suffers from a bit too much avoidance of common sense.

Good thriller

[pilot1009 · 7/10 · 3 October 2021]

Time travel and a thriller competently done and well acted. Enjoyable to watch.

Terrific underrated thriller

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 9/10 · 15 December 2015]

The late Tony Scott and Denzel Washington collaborated on five films, the second last of which is underrated sci fi thriller Deja Vu. It contains Scott's trademark visual style, all skitchy sketchy frames, deliriously rapid editing and deep, gorgeously saturated colours that pisses a lot of people off in its garish, flippant aesthetic. I for one love his style, and here he is coming down off the high that was his masterpiece, Domino, exercising restraint that was no doubt mandated by the studio bigwigs. Nevertheless, the same unmistakably heightened forces of filmmaking that flow through the veins of this crackling thriller can be found in most of his work, just in smaller doses here. The film tackles a lot in its unassuming narrative, from terrorist bombing, an elliptical story that's put in an otherworldly trance by a plot point involving a high tech time travel capability, and a surprisingly heartfelt undercurrant that somewhat sneaks up on you. During a captivating opening credit sequence, we see a horrific explosion onboard a navy transport ferry in the New Orleans harbour, killing over five hundred people including women and children. ATF Agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is called in to investigate, and before long his cunning intuition catches the eye of FBI Agent Pryzwara (an unusually calm Val Kilmer) who is spearheading a very hush hush investigative technique that's being used to track the terrorist in the days leading up to the incident. What Kilmer doesn't tell him is the mind- bending metaphysical implications of it, but keener Denzel gets wise to their act, and throws himself headlong into a quest to stop the bomber, save the mysterious Claire (Paula Patton, just phenomenal) who was murdered and has ties to the event, and reverse time. Denzel is an implosive wrecking ball of determination, his ingenuity and reserve made me wonder why Carlins career aspirations stopped short of the ATF. I don't know why Patton isn't in more films (she recently starred alongside Denzel again in the super fun 2 Guns), she brings a battered resilience to her work, and is a radiant beauty to boot. Peppy gerbil Adam Goldberg is the obligatory one liner spewing techie who's got more going on than his exterior may read, and Bruce Greenwood is all stern bluster as the FBI honcho in charge. This film doesn't often come up in discussions of either Denzel's or Scott's greatest hits, but it's ripe for rediscovery and praise. Propulsive action, far fetched sci fi intrigue that's hard to digest and follow, yet simultaneously wicked fun, and like I said before an emotional core that takes you by surprise. There's a sentence that I internally intone to myself whenever I see a film, or aspects within a film that fire up my adrenal glands, tear ducts or simply rouse my soul. Be it a banger of an action sequence, a romance that hits all the right notes, a good old fashioned fantastical invention or visual flights of fantasy that stir wonder within me. That sentence is "This is why I watch movies". I get no greater pleasure in my cinematic escapades than being able to say that to myself as my heart pumps to the tune of whatever grand spectacle I'm witnessing before me on screen. I can tell you, the sentence was uttered while watching this one, and now that I think of it, pretty much every film in Scott's portfolio. Highly recommended.

Illogical But Entertaining Enough

[slightlymad22 · 6/10 · 3 October 2023]

Continuing my plan to watch every movie in Denzel Washington's filmography, I come to Deja Vu

If you can get on board with a lot of the technology (the ability to watch the past, through walls with audio) and time travel aspects, a lot of fun can be had with Deja Vu.

It's totally illogical, with incomprehensible definitions of how things work, and I still don't know how many time lines there were, but I recommend turning your brain off and just going with it, as it is entertaining, enough.'

Deja Vu grossed $64 million at the domestic box office and was the 42nd highest grossing movie of 2006.

Deja Vu is a great ride!

[maxmillion99 · 9/10 · 9 November 2006]

I was also at that Century City screening last night, and I was probably one of the people who were saying they thought this movie was awesome. I enjoyed it immensely. It has been described as an action-adventure-romance-sci-fi pic and it truly is all of that.

First of all, the cinematography was stunning. Tony Scott and his DOP, Paul Cameron, do fantastic work -- every shot is beautifully composed. And all the footage that involves a cast of thousands (meaning the crowd scenes) is masterful work.

I don't know why I started with commenting on the photography (also the editing) of this movie. It's probably because that is what struck me from the very beginning, particularly when there is so much going on in the opening sequence. Yet you never get lost. Above all, the performances and story are great and really suck you in. Yes, this movie requires a fair bit of suspension of disbelief. I would go so far as to say the plot was far-fetched, but the heart of the story just takes you along for the ride.

For the record, I felt Scott's most recent teaming with Denzel, Man on Fire, was one of the best movies of 2004. I don't think Deja Vu is as good as Man on Fire, but it's right up there as one of the most entertaining and thrilling movies I've seen this year.

For sheer entertainment and an intriguing (though not flawless) plot, Bruckheimer, Scott and Co. sure have DELIVERED the goods.

I recommend you see Deja Vu on the big screen with a big, loud audience for maximum enjoyment. Part of the appeal last night was exactly that; hearing the audience -- as one -- laugh, applaud and sigh along with this movie and getting swept up in that communal experience.

post scriptum -- Any fans of Otto Preminger's wonderful 1994 classic Laura may be delighted by the echoes of that storyline in Deja Vu.

A superb and brilliantly crafted thriller

[akeanefan · 10/10 · 23 November 2006]

It has been quite a while since I have seen a film that was this beautifully crafted and nearly flawless. The acting is very convincing and the storyline follows quite closely to a Michael Criton-esquire novel. I was rather surprised at the 6.8 rating this movie has received thus far, and I hope that more positive reviews will come in order for the score to be bumped up to at least the mid 7's. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed by this film. For one thing, it stars Denzel Washington, Jim Cavizel, who I felt did a marvelous job at playing the antagonist, Val Kilmer, and Bruce Greenwood. With these four actors, you typically cannot go wrong. I notice that these four are also never in the tabloids and don't get caught up in the typical Hollywood tripe that is so prevalent today. They have raw talent, are not just getting by on their looks, and their performance, especially in this film, shows it. "Deja Vu" is one of those rare films that grabs a hold of you from the very start and does not let go of you until the very end. People even clapped after the film ended and such applause was well deserved. If you do anything at all this Thanksgiving weekend, then by all means, put going to see "Deja Vu" on your shopping list. I can promise you that both you and your family/significant others will be blow though the very back wall of the theater.

Top notch action flick

[JackLint · 9/10 · 23 November 2006]

This was a terrific movie, plain and simple. It kept you thinking and guessing at what was really going on, and in the end, all the holes close. That is unusual for any kind of "playing with time" kind of film, and all those involved deserve credit for doing it right. While the whole premise of the science involved has a deep flaw in it, it's not the sort of flaw that precludes the suspension of disbelief. Denzel Washington, Jim Caviziel and Adam Goldberg give memorable performances. Of course, there is no one better than Tony Scott when it comes to telling a story with pictures, and he's as good here, if not better than in Enemy of the State.

10/10 because I finished my popcorn before I even noticed it was running low.

Another Good Collaboration Between Tony Scott and Denzell Washington

[boblipton · 6/10 · 4 December 2020]

If I have the feeling I've seen DEJA VU before, it's because I have. I'm a great fan of Denzell Washington, who makes the most unlikely situation seen real. He has a simple, grounded manner of saying his lines that convinces me.

He's an ATF agent called in when a bomb goes off on a ferry on Mardi Gras, killing a lot of people. As he investigates, he finds some odd glitches, like a message from a women he doesn't know. Then he's called in to help direct some wonks with a machine that seems to recreate the events of four days earlier. He soon forces them to admit it's a "time window" and helps them use it to identify and track the bomber. It's his job.... but he's haunted by the possibility that instead of just using it to convict the bomber after the deaths, he can use it to prevent those deaths.

It's a nice pulp sf story, well directed by Tony Scott, who worked with Washington a lot.

DP Paul Cameron uses a greyed-out color scale to lend an atmosphere of unreality to the movie, supporting the idea that this version of reality is mutable. Val Kilmer plays the lead scientist. Jim Cavaziel is the bomber, and Paula Patton is the victim at the center of the story.

Story in the Story: Tony's Bladerunner

[tedg · 10 December 2006]

My regular readers know I harp on and on about the tricks of narrative folding. Sometimes it must seem a stretch, but I believe this collection of devices to be at the core of cinematic storytelling. And others do too, obviously. This time, everything you see is built around this notion.

The simplest folding is where the story provides for a movie within the movie, so that we the audience can merge with the audience we see on screen. Its all about getting us engaged; simple as that. I wish we had more films that mattered, that we can actually use in building a life, but Bruckheimer has his place too, I suppose. Especially when a Scott is involved.

So what we get here is simple but extremely effective narrative folding, Scott's standard super-effective camera which knows how to be ambiguous in these matters, and both turned to the goal of grabbing us by the throat for a thrill.

The fold this time is us watching a crime as detectives, and what we see is a detective watching the same crime. So perspectives overlap and we have several scenes where our screen contains people looking at their screen, notable in the same proportion. And we also have time folding, in fact the designated scientist explains it as folding with a piece of folded paper. This allows Denzel the opportunity to be driving at high speed in two time periods at the same time. Very clever if you must follow the Bruckheimer rule of car chases — that they be spectacular.

As with any Scottfree film, you must see it on a big screen, and I say that with some hesitation. That's because I know a director's cut will arrive on DVD. It'll feature some enhanced nudity. Ho Hum, nipples. But I expect it to alter the story the same way brother Ridley's director's cut of "Bladerunner" did. You will know from the trailers that Denzel's character goes back in time. Once. But you will see hints here of something that has been edited out, hints that he would have had to go back many times, like "Primer."

When he appears at the hospital, he has a marking on his chest that only an experienced traveler would place, and that isn't there the first time he goes back.. At Clair's house, he carefully moves a glass of water as a signal to one of his future selves. At the marina, there's the appearance of corpse-reducing alligators. Note my prediction on this, I see into the future: Scott will un-dumb down this story.

One interesting thing is that for the first time I can recall, Denzel's style of being is appropriate. Less interesting is how Hollywood thinks technical projects like this might look, all nice and neat with military guards all around and no maintenance techs to worry in the background. Nah.

Summary: The girl is pretty. The threat has a ticking clock. The folding works and we are thrilled. Washington isn't repellent. Stay tuned for more complexity on the DVD.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

A Solid and Cunning Film

[dj_xand325 · 7/10 · 10 August 2007]

"What if you had to tell someone the most important thing in the world, but you knew they'd never believe you?"

This is a very well made movie and the acting is very convincing and believable. However, there are very many unrealistic values that involve this movie. Clearly the whole idea of looking back in time with the technology we have now is definitely impossible....but afterall it is a movie Although there are some unrealism and plot holes i would still count this as a solid and enjoyable movie then entertains the whole way through.

7/10

Top 5 film. Great story told exceptionally well.

[phibbert-09069 · 10/10 · 22 February 2019]

One of those films that I think should be studied in drama schools. Fantastic plot, action, acting, direction, cinematography and everything else to do with film making.

I'd love to rave on about the film more, but fear it would divulge spoilers.

Just settle down with some popcorn and a nice drink and spoil yourself with a bloody good yarn.

Mixed Emotions

[iohefy-2 · 7/10 · 30 June 2007]

Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors and I have enjoyed most all the movies he has appeared in. When I saw his DVD of Deja Vu I grabbed it to watch at home. I have mixed emotions about this film, as overall the plat was somewhat different from the ordinary, it really was not my cup of tea. The special effects in this movie were great but the story with all it science fiction was really not my cup of tea. I could not keep up with the back and forth of the time machine. Overall I enjoyed the movie but it was hard to keep up with all the sci-fi plats performed by the cast. If you like sci-fi movies you will enjoy this film. It is worth watching. Enjoy!!!

Great fun

[Imdbidia · 7/10 · 3 March 2011]

A very entertaining action cop story with a time-travel approach (butterfly effect and temporal paradox).

The acting is OK, nobody shines especially in the movie, not even Denzel Washington, but the script is interesting enough to keep you hooked till the end.

I found the movie enjoyable mostly because it was unpretentious and the time-travel part is very believable and easily explained to the viewer. No mambo-jumbo or deep meaning.

Good action scenes, persecution scenes, love at first sight, whodunit, catch the thief, all nicely mixed up and presented.

is more than a deja vu. is one of the best sci-fi movies ever made.

[Cinema2kMendoza · 10/10 · 5 September 2021]

Is one of the best movies i have ever seen. Goes deeper and deeper to show that people in your life is priceless, and you need to care about them. Basically the movie starts with a terrorist attack in a ferry in new orleans who happens in the first 5 minutes of the movie. Already the tone is here. Is a dark and sad movie because the big question is how doug carlin would save the people in the ferry and claire. The movie shows that destiny and fate always have influence. Even when doug try to changes things, everything already is happening, so from the start to finish is thrilling and shows that every person counts, and every life cares, even if doug carlin needs to sacrifice himself to save everyone.

Is one of the few movies that can make me cry.

Lets just make it clear, if there was 100 or less movies to watch before everything ends...this movie will be first for me.

I dont know if is the music, the plot, the whole movie, denzel acting and the many car-chases-with-emotion that make me feel like this movie is one fo a kind. This movie is the reason i like humvees. This movie literally changed even the kind of music i like...is one of the best soundtracks ever made. If i ever made someday a movie, or end working in movies, thanks to bruckenheimer and denzel washington and all the cast for this movie. Because this movie really changed my way of watch movies.