Action takes a turn for the better in the latest Denzel Washington film Déjà Vu. You think things are one way, but they aren’t… Or are they? Is it a trick of the mind? … Or reality? Action maestro Jerry Bruckheimer’s new production will have you on the edge of your seat…Literally!

ATF Agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is investigating a tragic ferry boat explosion in New Orleans. He is smart and knows what he is doing, but he stumbles onto a case that will not only question his judgment, but will also challenge his ability to believe in the unbelievable.

Unbeknownst to Carlin, a government agency has discovered a way to look at the past in real time. Everything that happens within a certain mile radius can be observed and analyzed by a computer linked to several space satellites. The only catch is that the computer can only view events that happened four days ago. It can’t fast forward or rewind. Once it happens, you can’t go back again.

In the center of this investigation is a young woman (Paula Patton) who is linked to Carlin and linked to the bombing, but no one knows why. Carlin and his new team use this computer to track the girl’s whereabouts days before she is killed to see if she is just an innocent victim of the explosion or a pawn in a huge terrorist plot. In the process, Carlin falls for her and wants to use the system as a time travel devise that will allow him to go back in time to try to save her. Possibly saving everyone that perished on the ferry.

Director Tony Scott has outdone himself with this project. The only word that can sum it up is “brilliant”! Action maestro Jerry Bruckheimer’s new production will have you on the edge of your seat…Literally! Not since 1994’ Speed, can I remember being on pins and needles in a movie theater. At one point, I actually got goose bumps. I know that sounds cliché, but I have tell the truth. I have to testify!

Washington gives another stellar performance, but I couldn’t help notice his female lead, Paula Patton. This actress was such a refreshing sight to see. Not only was she beautiful, think a younger Halle Berry, but her acting chops are there. Earlier this year, she made a splash in Outkast’s Idlewild, but with this film, she proves that she is definitely a star on the rise.

I can not stress this enough, go see this movie on the big screen. It was a spectacle in every good since of the word. Explosions, mind blowing camera effects, great acting by Washington and all his supporting cast, and a smart script that is not only original, but is also surprisingly easy to follow. One of the best movies of the year and in my opinion, one of the best thrillers I’ve ever seen.

By Thomas Ferguson