Safe sizzles from the very first scene with chills, spills and thrills and of course, Jason Statham. Suspend disbelief and hop on the roller coaster, Safe is a good one. Statham is at his absolute best, beating the hell out of Russians mobsters, Chinese gangsters and crooked cops, while quipping his way throughout. Here’s where Safe deviates: the film uses all the typical action clichés but feels real.

Director Boaz Yakim introduces Mei (Catherine Chan), an 11 year old prodigy with legendary memorization skills and attitude. She’s been given the codes to the Chinese mob’s entire system. Han Jaio (James Hong) doesn’t believe in technology. This has made the Chinese vulnerable to the Russian mob and the New York police. Both are hunting her before the Chinese can find her. Mei also holds the key to Luke Wright’s (Statham) redemption.

Wright, former cop and now failed cage fighter, has fallen on truly hard times. His past haunts him. His life is in shambles. And not until he meets Mei does he find away to reconcile it. In the New York subway Wright sees Mei hiding from Russian mobsters and saves her. He further takes it upon himself to keep her from both mobs and the police. When crooked cops get involved the body count begins and Wright goes into high gear. The rest of the Safe is classic: car chases, explosions, violence and flying bullets (a few of my favorite things).

In Safe Wright seems more like a modern day “man with no name” than a cop turned avenger. Pitting the mobs against each other and the cops against both is a fun revisit to 1965’s For a Few Dollars More. Statham is great in the Eastwood style role and, as always, he kicks some serious ass. He also manages to deliver the expected one liners without making it seem too cliché.

Safe is a classic action hero flick with some great twists and much less of the, “I’ve seen this before,” feeling. The villains are cliché, the plot predictable, the acting melodramatic and over the top, but none of that matters. Safe is a great flick, with incredible action and phenomenal fight scenes, a good, if implausible, story and a tight, fast pace. I loved the film and want to see more. Look for Luke Wright to be back again.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5!

The Movie Maniac Craig and Tom put in a marathon of movie viewing this weekend! Listen in and find out which one rose above the pack. Don’t forget visit our Facebook page and leave your reviews!

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