He’s got some big balls.
Jason Stratham is back and it’s amazing he can even walk! Stratham stars in Boaz Yakin’s Safe as Luke Wright, New York’s former hardest cop. After blowing a mixed martial art fight he is competing in his mundane existence is turned upside down.
The film has a basic premise which pits the cops against the Chinese against the Russians as they all try to hunt down an 11 year old girl to learn the code for a safe. Stratham’s character simply thrusts himself into the situation as only a Stratham movie knows how. With a slow and steady pace from the beginning Safe is both interesting and enjoyable. The slow introduction enables the set up to be explained and builds some character development. With Mei and Luke’s story developing side by side until their paths cross. It’s at the midway mark in which the film decides it wants to form a complicated spider’s web of linked people and different agendas. Bad guys appear from left and right with the big mastermind behind it all being reviled about 15 minutes before the end credits, making for a lacklustre final fight. With a 94 minute run time and half of that time spent already the film really spirals out of control with numerous plot changes leave the audience scratching their heads.
‘Stratham does his normal routine of look tough, talk tough, be tough.’
It’s pretty obvious that Stratham won’t be winning an Oscar for any of his performances this far and that won’t be changing with Safe. Stratham does his normal routine of look tough, talk tough, be tough. As well as giving some bone crunching kicks, punches and painful manoeuvres. At Stratham’s side is 11 year old Catherine Chan who plays Mei. More reading lines than acting by Chan but a good attempt never the less, she’s obviously an intelligent girl in reality too. Filling various other roles in the film is several small name actors such as Chris Sarandon as Mayor Tremello, Robert John Burke as Captain Wolfe and James Hong as Han Jiao. All three actors do what they are there to do but certainly aren’t given the opportunity to give any eye opening performances that they may or may not be capable of.
Safe holds various similarities with several films such as 2007 Clive Owen film; Shoot Um Up. Of course if you’ve seen any other Jason Stratham film then you’ve seen this one. Safe also has considerable similarities with the Kane & Lynch video game series.
From start to finish Safe uses some wonderful editing cuts that help keep the story interesting and fast paced, with no scenes feeling dull. As expected the action sequences incorporate the use of shaky cam to hide any poorly executed moves. The shaky cam along with some quick cuts makes for some choppy action scenes that have your eyes struggling to take it all in. However messy they look they are superbly choreographed and Stratham executes every move to near perfection.
While Safe isn’t a film to rush out to watch it’s an enjoyable enough to sit through. Another typical guys film with plenty of action but not much else. If you’re a fan of Stratham’s then it could be worth a look but certainly doesn’t best the likes of Killer Elite, Snatch or The Bank Job.
Popcorn & Soda Rating: 2/5
What your favourite Stratham film to date?
