Luke Wright (Jason Statham) is an ex-cop/ ex-MMA fighter who lost his wife to the Russian Mafia after he fails to throw a fight.   He ends up homeless with the Russians promising to kill anyone he befriends.  He becomes the unexpected protector for a Mei, a ten year old Chinese girl, who is a human calculator for the Asian Triad.  She has memorized a long number that the Triad wants and the Russian Mafia wants to take.   Also corrupt police want to get hold of that girl.

 

SAFE is your typical by-the-numbers Jason Statham action film on the surface, but a second viewing reveals some of the unusual choices in the script more in addition to the homage to 1970s/ 1980s action films.   You don't expect Shakespeare with his movies.  You expect him to kick butt and pile up the body count.   No matter how much character they develop into his character for a certain film, you expect him to kick butt and come on top for most of his movies.   You will still enjoy his action scenes despite how good or bad the movie is.  His action style elevates him above the material.   The direction is slick. It is average Jason Statham which just fills the bill of the usual film with Jason Statham as you settle in for some serious ass kicking.   As long as you know why you came to the movie to see him kick some major butt, you will be satisfied with SAFE despite some of the different story choices compared to the average action movies.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The audio commentary with writer/ director Boaz Yakin reveals how the movie was filmed between New York City and Philadelphia to get the decayed New York City look that he remembered when he was growing up and seeing in the action/ cop movies of the 1970s.   He discusses the cast and the story choices he made in the script including the producers raising an eye to how the movie climaxed and some people wondering why there isn’t more of a relationship developed between Mei and Luke.

 

Three featurettes are also included on the disc:

CRACKING SAFE- Boaz Yakin discusses the making of the movie and the choices he made for the movie in addition to the challenges in filming in New York City today.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND-  Boaz Yakin talks about the different character actors he chose to play the various bad guys.

THE ART OF THE GUNFIGHT- Boaz Yakin and Stunt Coordinator J.J. Perry discuss the tightly shot action scenes and the tricks they used to achieve the action in one shot without cutting back and forth.  Also shown is behind-the-scenes footage of the stunt action they shot for the previz reel to show to the director.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:   SFAE is better on a second viewing when you start noticing and hear about the choices Boaz Yakin made into writing and directing this film.   Watch the movie and then watch the extras.

 

this review is (c)9-6-2012 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com