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2012's Safe is a Jason Statham action vehicle in the truest sense, and in no way is that a bad thing. It delivers all the elements we have come to expect from The Stath's movies - including shootouts, fisticuffs, and cheesy one-liners - but what's surprising about Safe is how genuinely skilful it is. It falls short of revolutionising the genre, yet this material fits Statham's limited acting range like a glove, resulting in a proficient blast of thrilling action mayhem that deftly energises its standard-order plot constituents. It's a barebones B-movie, but writer-director Boaz Yakin refuses to fall victim to the pitfalls of similar efforts, showing a clear understanding of how to excel in the art of cinematic junk food without denying his target audience the simple pleasures that they demand. For action connoisseurs seeking something to satiate their desire for brutal beatdowns and exhilarating gun battles, Safe is the cup of manic machismo they will go gaga for.
After unintentionally losing a fixed fight, former cop-turned-cage-fighter Luke (Jason Statham) is sentenced to a miserable existence by Russian gangsters. They kill Luke's pregnant wife and promise to kill anybody he befriends in the future, forcing the broken man to live on the streets without purpose. While on the verge of suicide, Luke witnesses a young Chinese girl, Mei (Catherine Chan), being hunted by the same Russians who ruined his life, and he decides to rescue her. A little genius with a photographic memory, Mei was kidnapped by Chinese gangsters to memorise numbers and thus eliminate paper trails. As it turns out, the Chinese, the Russians, corrupt New York cops, and even the Mayor want to gain a secret code that Mei has memorised. Determined to protect Mei, Luke goes on the run with a newfound reason to live, killing pursuers at every turn.
One of Safe's biggest assets is that the story unfolds at an agreeable clip. While the narrative is a tad more dense than its superficial set-up, the explanations of the story's ins and outs are brisk enough to ensure that the pace never slows to a crawl yet detailed enough to ensure viewers will not feel lost or confused. Thankfully, character development is equally effective and efficient. Thus, Safe is stripped down to a satisfying extent without feeling underdone. Furthermore, although this is not the most intelligent action movie in existence, it's not in-your-face stupid either, and that's a huge deal in a world where Michael Bay exists. Boaz Yakin may have spent his career on peaceful movies of varying quality (including Uptown Girls), but his handling of this material is astonishingly competent. Yakin achieves what most action directors yearn for: a level of energy so engaging that you will not want to stop and overthink things. Best of all, Yakin displays no interest in corny melodrama.
Action connoisseurs - especially those who have grown weary of generic, watered-down PG-13 tosh - owe it to themselves to check out Safe since it's more or less a personal valentine to them. Trust me, the shootouts, car chases, and fights here are all of the highest order. Each set piece is intense and frenetic, and Yakin and cinematographer Stefan Czapsky manage to achieve this effect while capturing the action in an entirely comprehensible fashion. Best of all, the action scenes are brutal. The fight choreography here is some of the best in recent memory, and Yakin takes advantage of every opportunity to orchestrate violent gun battles in a deliriously brazen way. The editing may be somewhat frenetic at times, but there is no distracting shaky cam. Safe looks damn good as well, with attractive production values, slick cinematography and Mark Mothersbaugh's pulse-pounding score, all of which were achieved on the meagre $30 million budget. In terms of visuals and technical competency, this is a home run. It's rare to find an action film this well-made.
Jason Statham's participation in the Expendables series has ostensibly set him up as a successor to the likes of Sly and Arnie, and Safe further proves that he's one of this generation's last true action heroes. In the tradition of '80s action icons, Statham is a star who's content to play the same character repeatedly...and that's fine: he has found a niche that suits him, and he's just playing to this strength. Statham's badass screen presence makes him an agreeable action hero, and it's somewhat soothing to see him doing what he does best. Fortunately, Statham works really well with co-star Catherine Chan as Mei. Meanwhile, the rest of the actors are just fine - they suit their roles perfectly and always seem immersed in the material.
A vicious and visceral actioner, Safe is an enjoyable ride. It's nothing you'll remember a few days after viewing, but it's nothing you'll regret spending your time on, either. One could criticise the film since it fails to break new ground, but that is what makes it so refreshing: it energetically retreads familiar ground without any boring pretensions. It is best likened to a hot fudge sundae: a not-exactly-fancy concoction that nevertheless delivers plenty of delicious ice cream and irresistible chocolate chutzpah.
7.8/10
