Denzil Washington is one of those names I'd heard of but never actually seen in action. The trailor made it seem a bit tacky and it wasn't one that I was desperate to see but having unlimited access to a cinema and some free time I decided to give it a go.

The film starts with the explosion of a boat on a river near or in New Orleans - I suspect that some portions of the movie were specifically refilmed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

We are introduced to Denzil's character as he investigates the explosion and there is definitely something 'Grisham' and 'CSI' about this movie - probably explainable due to a shared director in Jerry Bruckheimer.

Oddly though, a body that has burns that you might assume were from the explosion is washed ashore before it even happens. As Denzil investigates he is invited onto a brand new project team with some unique capabilities - A way to actually look into the past.

Frustrated with the fact that the science nerds wont give him a straight answer, Denzil shines a laser at the screen, to his surprise the lady reacts to it and a power cut follows. Is it possible to send someone back and change what happened?

It may sound far fetched, as it did in the trailor and the title 'Deja Vu' may not have been the best choice since it doesn't catch the flavour of the movie for me, but this was actually a satisfying and interesting film.

It was twisty enough that you weren't exactly sure where it was going to end up. You weren't even sure whether the past could be changed at all. What was also nice, as is typical of this kind of time related thriller, are the hints that are given from the start of the film. It wasn't just thrown together.

If you like CSI or The Island you'll probably enjoy this one.

see also:
Inception, The Dark Knight, Casino Royale, Mission Impossible III

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photo © Touchstone Pictures.