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Deja Vu DVD Review

by Kam Williams

Sci-Fi Features Denzel as Time-Traveling Crime Fighter

ATF Agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) is one of the first feds on the scene following an explosion aboard a New Orleans ferry. Over five hundred passengers perish in the fiery inferno, and Doug suspects it to be the work of a terrorist as soon as he discovers traces of a weapon of mass destruction amidst the charred bodies bobbing in the water and washing up along the banks of the Mississippi River.

Soon, Carlin is joined in the investigation by FBI Agent Andrew Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) who is privy to a top secret project at headquarters which enables the government to observe anyone anywhere via a complex series of interconnected satellites. For some reason, the tape-delayed system always shows events on the screen which transpired precisely four days and six hours ago. This means that all the authorities have to do to crack the case is point their time machine at the pier from which the ferry embarked and watch until the evil mastermind (Jim Caviezel) appears.

The plot thickens when Doug becomes obsessed with one of the victims, a pretty young woman named Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton). And instead of waiting four days to figure it all out, Agent Carlin comes up with the bright idea of teleporting himself back in time to try to prevent the attack from ever happening.

So goes the preposterous premise of Déjà Vu, a sci-fi full of pseudo-scientific jargon about "worm holes" and "space folding in upon itself." This dialogue-driven time travel adventure will engage you if you are willing to forgive a script which repeatedly relies on cartoon physics to explain away every improbable plot development.

Aptly titled, since this edge of your seat thriller feels like a roller coaster ride you've been on before.

Very good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for sensuality, disturbing images, female frontal nudity, and intense terror violence.
Running time: 126 minutes
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, extended scenes, alternate scenes, and a "Behind the Scenes" featurette.

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