Safe House is an action packed thriller film directed by Daniel Espinosa. The film stars Ryan Reynolds and veteran actor and Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. The movie takes place in Cape Town, where it was also filmed.
The Plot
The film revolves around the two main characters played respectively by Reynolds and Washington. Denzel Washington plays a rogue CIA agent turned international criminal named Tobin Frost, who is captured in Cape Town and taken to a safe house managed by CIA rookie Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds). While in the safe house, agents begin to interrogate Frost but they are interrupted when the house comes under attack by mercenaries who want the life of Frost for some unknown reason. Weston, the only one who survives the attack, then takes Frost with him on a journey to find another safe house in Cape Town, while trying to stay alive and avoid being killed by the mercenaries that are searching for them.
Underlying Message
In relating this movie to theology without giving too much away, I felt like the CIA was a representation of the sinful state (total depravity) that mankind and our society is currently in, because of the deception and corruption that was surrounding the agency throughout the movie.
The two main characters of focus, Weston (Reynolds) and Frost (Washington), are two very different archetypical representatives of man. Frost is depicted as the wiser man, with years of experience, who became somewhat corrupted and veered from the values he that had held once. And these values are now represented in the younger Weston, who is portrayed as an idealist in the beginning of the film that is a bit naïve to the true nature of the CIA.
The Gospel
As it relates to the Gospel, Weston can be seen as a Jesus like figure, who comes into the story in order to make right (redeem) the many wrong doings and evils of the CIA. The same way that Jesus, the God-man, came into the world to redeem mankind from sin in order to bring peace to the earth. Frost even pointed to Weston saying, “You’re better than me,” further strengthens this idea of Weston being portrayed as a redeeming “messiah” figure.
Ending Statements
Is Safe House a good movie to see? I would recommend this movie to those who love action thrillers and if you’re a fan of Denzel Washington, like myself. Also, keep in mind that the movie is rated R for violence and language, so it would be better suited for mature adults and not younger children.
As in the words of James Harelam,“Always watch to glorify him.”
