User reviews

After watching the trailer when it was first released, I didn't feel what I always feel when I see Jason Statham in an action movie, which is giddy. There was something missing, but how can I say no to Jason Statham in an action packed movie? I just can't. 'Safe' ended up being good. Not great, just good. The beginning was a little slow, but the way they told the story, was a bit of bouncing back between Luke Wright (Jason Statham) and Mei (Caroline Chan), so it didn't really come out running, but I guess I can't complain too much about it because it definitely picked up after. As I stated earlier, how can I say no to Jason Statham in an action movie. The action was amazing. It's that kind of action where the audience is either clapping or yelling, "Ooooohhhh snap!!!" followed by some laughing. The storyline was decent, I mean, it didn't really stand out and there are a few scenes where you can probably figure out what's going to happen, but it got the job done. The acting was sub-par once you take out Jason Statham and Catherine Chan (Mei), who I thought did a really good job for her first Hollywood movie. There were a few cheesy lines, some epic quotes, one of which I put in the subject title and I'm sure you'll enjoy it too when you hear it and some funny moments; more than you usually expect from an action movie, which wasn't so bad.

'Safe' is your typical Jason Statham action flick. I think it's fair to say, we don't watch Jason Statham movies expecting Oscar nominations; we watch his movies mainly because the action is phenomenal. If you want to watch a good, action packed movie, then 'Safe' is a safe bet this weekend. See what I did there?

'SAFE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Jason Statham action vehicle written and directed by Boaz Yakin. Yakin's previous directing efforts include 'REMEMBER THE TITANS', 'UPTOWN GIRLS' and 'FRESH', so a B action film starring Jason Statham is an interesting choice for the filmmaker. The story revolves around Statham playing an ex-cagefighter who's made enemies with the Russian mob and corrupt NYC police department that comes to the aid of a young girl wanted by both. The movie is surprisingly unsentimental and a pretty hard hitting action film. Statham fans should be more than pleased.

Statham plays Luke Wright, a small time MMA fighter who fails to throw a fight and pisses off everyone who was betting against him, including the Russian mob. The mobsters kill his wife and threaten him with the knowledge that he'll always be watched and anyone he befriends or even comes in to contact with will be killed. So he travels the streets of New York City alone, depressed and ready to kill himself until he meets a young girl named Mei (Catherine Chan) in need of his help. Mei is an eleven-year-old mathematical genius who was forced to work for the Triad and now holds the code to an important safe in her head. She's wanted by the Triad, Russian Mafia and corrupt NYC cops. Luke takes it upon himself to help her and of course finds a new reason to live.

The premise and adds could lead you to believe that this is another cheesy and sappy action star befriending kid film but Jason Statham fans can rejoice in the fact that he doesn't take that path. Statham is a much more respectable and high moraled movie tough guy than the likes of The Rock and Vin Diesel. At least thus far in his career he can't be labeled a sellout. This film is about as violent and brutal as any film Statham has done. Thanks in large part to Yakin's decent directing. The script could have used some work; it's routine and lacking bite. The story of Statham befriending the little Chinease girl does still have some heart and emotion though, but just the right amount. As far as Statham action films go this one is about average. Exactly what I expect from one, no more and no less.

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'Safe' is the latest vehicle to showcase Jason Statham's ability to punch, kick, and shoot various henchmen. The plot here plays more of a role than compared to past JS films, as this one involves a young Chinese girl with a brilliant memory who's wanted by both the Russian and Chinese mob, aided by corrupt cops, and it's just to a down-on-his-luck Jason Statham to save the day.

When watching a film like this, suspending your disbelief is a must, which is just a given. Things happen in this movie that not only wouldn't be possible, but you wonder how some characters can escape out of situations not only alive, but untouched. But this was actually one of my favorite Stathom movies in a while. I despised his recents efforts in throwaway films like The Mechanic and Killer Elite. It hasn't been since Transporter 3, another mindless romp, that I've enjoyed one of films this much.

The film's worth seeing if you're an action movie fan with some time to kill, in sort of a Sunday afternoon stay at home type of way. You'll cringe at the acting and dialogue of the little Chinese girl, but you'll be entertained.

After a decade of indifference, I've started to come around a bit on Jason Statham. He's like the McDonald's of actors. Let me explain.

McDonald's makes Big Macs, each and every one identical in looks and taste to the other. Jason Statham makes Jason Statham movies, each and every one identical... you get the idea. And also like Big Macs, some of his movies are fresher than others. Safe qualifies as one of his fresher efforts. Not hot off the grill fresh, but not 20 minutes under a heat lamp either.

Tightly paced, competently acted and filled with slightly above average fight scenes, Safe is the kind of movie that will satiate you until a tastier movie comes along.

Mei (Catherine Chan) is a little genius when it comes to numbers. She can remember everything and calculate anything in her mind. That's why she's very valuable for the Chinese Triads, who use her as a computer that can't be hacked or traced. One day, she's asked to memorize a long number and drive to another place to learn a different one. But the Russian mob steps in and assaults her ride, killing almost everyone. Mei can escape and this is when she meets Luke Wright (Jason Statham). Former elite cop, former small time MMA fighter, on the run from the Russian mob who lost a bunch of money for betting against him in a match and killed his wife in revenge. The will to protect this little girl gives him a new will to live, a drive to go on. And so they run away; away from the Triads, the mob and the corrupt NYPD, trying to figure out why everyone wants either those numbers or her death.

It's a bit of Mercury Puzzle and 16 Blocks. And despite my usual fears, the story did not turn cheesy due to the kid. But the girl didn't turn into an unrealistic bad ass as well. Also they did not develop a forced deep relationship between Luke and Mei, which would be unrealistic, considering that the story doesn't go that long. The film is featuring fast paced action, wrapped into a decent (though not great) story and is supported by good acting. Well, at least good acting from the leading characters, but the supporting ones weren't that bad as well, so you don't have to suffer from it. So overall, a quite enjoyable movie, which I would recommend to fans of story driven action movies and especially to all Statham fans.

Just for fun, let's check the Statham clichés. Shirtless? Yep, first time you see him in the movie. Car-chase? Of course. And when Mei was a bit concerned about his driving style, I was just waiting for a comeback from him that was like "Don't worry kid, I've been doing this for several movies now."

Cast: OK, I love Statham. Every role he has done, yes even in "In The Name Of The King", is almost perfection. Now just because he is awesome , doesn't mean that the movies he is in are, just like "In The Name Of The King". Recently though his movies all seem to be the same kind of film and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Lots of action, lots of cheese and some story that involves a rogue badass, aka Statham. I say all that but anyone else in this/those roles and the film wouldn't work. But anyway more on the film in a mo, Statham plays against a little girl played by Catherine Chan, who is awesome, to say she is a child actress. Not much on the rest of the cast, but mentions for James Hong's (known for Kung Fu Panda, Balls Of Glory) mob boss and Robert John Burke's Captain Wolfe.

Overview: Like i mentioned earlier, fans of movies like The Mechanic, Blitz, Crank or Transporter, will probably keep on liking this. It's packed full of gun fights, karate/fist fights, explosions, car chases and Statham's signature grunting voice. The story itself is mixed. the whole thing with the girl, i like. People do have photogenic memories, and like James Hong says sending messages via computers is risky. So using the girl i get. The whole gangs fighting each other and corrupt cops is old news so all is right there. The one thing that troubled me was when the explained Statham's history. At one point he was just a cop, then he's some kind of Bane like experiment, didn't get that at all, but other than that the film is very fast paced, and wraps up nicely.

The opening 10 minuets of this film i really liked. They managed to set the story up of the two leads by mirroring their plot's. The girl is in a car, Statham is in a car, they both go to sleep…etc and i really enjoyed it. This movie doesn't really offer anything new to the action genre, but neither does it fail.

Recommend: Statham fans yes, everyone else meh.

Overall: 7/10 For more of my reviews head to http://www.facebook.com/noelfilmreviews

Safe - Quick Review: Safe is a very interesting movie starring Jason Statham who gives a very good performance.Also this movie has good directing with not-so-well shot action but the sound effects are awesome nonetheless.The story while a bit cliche,is still very interesting until the very end.I really enjoyed this movie it's certainly one of the better Statham action flicks overall.

In China, the girl Mei (Catherine Chan) is a genius that looks like a computer in numbers. She is abducted by the Chinese Triads and the boss Han Jiao (James Hong) sends Mei to Chinatown, in New York, to help him in the control of his activities.

Meanwhile, the fighter Luke Wright (Jason Statham) has his life destroyed when he wins a fight against the will of the Russian Mafia and accidentally kills his opponent. The Russian mobsters kill his wife and the alcoholic Luke wanders on the streets and hostels with no objective in life.

One day, Han Jiao asks Mei to memorize a long number and soon the Russian Mafia abducts the girl from the Chinese mobs. She escapes from the mobsters she is chased by the Russians; by the corrupt detectives from the NYPD; and by the Triads. When Luke sees the girl fleeing from the Russian mobs in the subway, he protects the girl and discovers that the number she had memorized is the combination of a safe where the Triads keep 30 million dollars. Luke is an elite agent and uses his skills to protect the girl.

"Safe" is a great brainless action movie with a messy lead character. The situation of an old boss from the Chinese Triads that does not trust in computers but trusts in the ability of a young girl that has been abducted from her family is stupid. But the lead character Luke Wright is a complete mess: the guy is a killer and elite agent that has his life completely destroyed when he feels sorrow for killing his opponent and irritates the Russian Mafia. Then he passively accepts the death of his wife by the Russian mobsters. But out of the blue, he rekindles his personality to protect a stranger Chinese girl in the subway. This situation is laughable when the viewer sees the past and connections of Luke with the corrupt detectives of the NYPD. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Código" ("The Code")

saw the public screening of Safe in a film festival.Frankly speaking I was stunned by the movie.Simple plot but the twists and turns in the movie were amazing.I will not reveal the plot details because you will loose interest in it.It's slick,stylish and high on acting and visual effects.

Jason is the man who reigns supreme in this film and leaves a strong impression on the audiences mind with his stellar performance. His smile, dialogue delivery and every expression deserves a bow.

The director Boaz Yakin handles the scenes well and never lets the adrenaline rush or the script to fall flat. He keeps the audiences glued to their seat and this versatile man gives as a slick action thriller which is far better than Haywire,The Mechanic or Killer Elite.

The script is well written and every scene is well handled. Dialogues are brilliant and none of the scene fall flat. No unnecessary toilet humour and soundtracks have made the film even more appealing.

Safe is an amazing movie with unforgettable action scene and car chase sequences and one of the best of Jason Statham. Highly Recommended.

Jason is always worth watching. He is an action actor and in this movie does what he does best. If you want action, good acting (Mei, the child, almost steals the show), and a movie with good pace this movie is for you.

If you like action packed movies, there is a lot in store for you.

Jason has impressed us with his exceptional martial arts display and thus of course the story revolves around his physical and mental abilities. This movie sets an example by showcasing that a single man can change the whole game if he gets messed up.

We all understand the pain of losing our love or at least the feeling or fear of losing the ones that we love. This story is about a person who loses everyone that he loves in this world and then finds a person in a similar situation who is a small girl with exceptional intellectual skills. This deadly combination will give you enough to think about, so go watch this one.

My favorite quote from this movie: "One day at a time"

Only 16 weeks into the 2012 theatrical release schedule and my Worst of 2012 list is beginning to take shape. This Means War, the action comedy starring Tom Hardy and Chris Pine will be there. Likely joining it will be Julia Roberts' misadventures in the dreadful Mirror, Mirror. Both entries now have company via Jason Statham's new action flick, Safe.

Safe puts actor Jason Statham in familiar territory. He is protecting a young person while driving recklessly, shooting, punching and jumping his way through fast paced and carefully choreographed sequences intended on keeping the interest of 13-year-old boys. Statham has protected young helpless persons before thanks to his Transporter franchise, but here, he scrapes the bottom of the barrel for the worst script and character he has ever played on the big screen.

In Safe, Statham plays Luke Wright, a former cop who has been living on the streets since the Russian mob killed his wife after he failed to win a promotional UFC-style fight. Wright's life is reaching its bottom point when he notices a young Asian girl being followed in a New York City subway station.

We learned earlier that the young Asian named Mei (Catherine Chan) is a super-whiz with numbers that has been kidnapped by the Chinese mob and brought to America intent on having her memorize a sequence of numbers that lead to unknown treasures.

When Luke Wright involves himself in her safety, he becomes absorbed in a cliché driven plot involving corrupt cops, corrupt politicians, the Chinese mob and the Russian mob. All have but one purpose, to gain ownership of the young girl by any means possible and to use the numbers she has memorized to open two safes containing both money and information valuable beyond comprehension.

While all four of the politicians, police and two mobs collapse upon Wright and Wei's whereabouts, our packed theatre of nine paying patrons watched as they shouted, shot and ran amok through the city in a blended mess that comes courtesy of writer/director Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans).

There is so much wrong with Safe that it is hard to get ones head around the convoluted disaster in an attempt to explain in words how to warn other interested parties. Statham is usually consistent, but even he cannot save such an atrocity as this. His action sequences are many, but they are boring and uninspired and l felt the need to shut my eyes and grab a quick nap rather than watch him continue to take on 5-6 heavily armed men at one time and get away unscathed.

Assisting Statham in this bad smelling piece of fromage is the supporting cast. None of the many characters thrust on screen are well developed and the only one that does have any relevance, Mei, is portrayed by a young girl who can't seem to act her way out of a wet fortune cookie. Usually, we are relaxed when it comes to criticizing youth and their attempts in their big screen debuts. But Catherine Chan is terrible as a central character and her bad acting is the largest fly feasting on this pile of sh*t.

To be fair – okay, to be somewhat fair – some of the dialogue expected of Chan was beyond eye-rolling. She has to take direction in how to express such painful lines as "You're a crazy man, yet not that stupid" while Statham tries to catch a breath between bone breaking.

Snores could be heard in our almost vacant theatre and they were loud enough to drown out my own. There isn't many films that I can truly advise to stay away from, but it's safe to say that Safe is one of them.

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This film tells the story of a fighter in trouble with the mobsters because he fought other than he was told to. He was driven to the point of suicide, but is saved by a girl with photographic memory who holds an important piece of information. They help each other navigate the dangerous underworld.

"Safe" is a very good old school action film. The characters really fight hard, and they keep fighting throughout the film. There is no fancy effects or crazy explosions, they fight only using their fists and guns. It's been a while since I watched a no frills action film. The number of deaths is disturbing but it doesn't feel ridiculous like some films where the lead hero is invincible. The girl who plays the whiz kid is really good in her role, she's very believable. I enjoyed the film. The title is very clever too!

Like Bruce Willis without the one-liners, but possessing a much larger can of 'whupass', The Stathe tears the New York underworld a new one in this rollicking, no nonsense thriller. Catherine Chan is excellent as Mei, and there is a believable relationship between the two, although the set up in the film's initial scenes feels rushed. Once things get down to business there is no compromise, nor punches pulled, only young Mei could come anywhere near being described as good, but Statham's 'Luke Wright' at least has an honourable cause at the heart of his killing spree. The plot moves quickly enough that you will be too busy counting the holes in the bad guys to see the ones in the story, but if you are able to hang on in for the ride, this is flashy flick with something worth fighting for at its heart.

If writer/director Boaz Yakin just keeps making films with Jason Statham, I may just forgive him for his involvement in the travesty that was the '80's Punisher film. Well OK not THAT, but perhaps it would however cleanse my mouth of the rancid taste that From Dusk Til Dawn 2 left.

Did he suddenly get better at writing decent dialog?? No not really, it's still clichéd and trite, however the mere strong presence of Statham as Luke Wright an ex-cop, ex-MMA fighter whom loses everything he holds dear when he doesn't throw a fight with a 'YouTube sensation'. Finding redemption by helping a whiz kid who's running from the same villains that are after him. The saving grace of this film are Jason and his above average fight scenes, without which this movie would've been barely rentable.

SAFE marks another step up the career ladder for action star Jason Statham, who also made 2012's above-average KILLER ELITE with Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. SAFE steps away from the teen-friendly hijinks of THE TRANSPORTER and DEATH RACE in favour of a more focused and realistic storyline which sees Statham and his young charge (newcomer Catherine Chan, and very good she is too) on the run in New York from not only the Russian and Chinese mafia but the city's police force, too!

The film works as pure action spectacle, with never a flagging moment. Statham growls and spits his dialogue, headbutts bad guys with abandon, and shoots his way through a small army in his attempts to save Chan from harm. It's a bit like THE MAN FROM NOWHERE, eschewing all that film's careful build-up and painstaking plot progression in favour of more breakneck action bits and scenes of Statham throwing guys through windows.

Statham provides a masterclass in thuggery, while the action, refreshingly free of the shaky-cam for once, is masterful and exciting. There are some nice supporting turns from the likes of DRAG ME TO HELL's Reggie Lee as the bad guys, along with former leading man Robert John Burke (DUST DEVIL) nowadays unrecognisable thanks to the ageing progress.

Of course, SAFE will never win awards, and those who don't "get" action films will give it the cold shoulder. On the other hand, those of us who remember the good old days when Van Damme and Seagal were churning out hit after hit will probably enjoy it.

"Safe" is actually one of Jason Statham's better movies. And it has everything that you expect and want from his movies, lots and lots of action. But "Safe" is spiced up with a more deep and clever story compared to many of his previous movies.

The story told in "Safe" is about Mei (played by Catherine Chan), an eleven year old Chinese girl with a photographic memory, and she holds a very important numeric code. The Chinese seek to use her in their illegal trade, while Russians seek to get their hand on her as well, and to top it off, corrupt police are in the picture as well, in it for the easy cash. Luke Wright (played by Jason Statham) a washed out former police man and modern day gladiator down on his luck finds himself in the middle of it all as the young girl saves him from committing suicide, and Luke ends up saving the girl, but the clutches of the triad, mafia and corrupt police is closing in around them...

"Safe" was actually really enjoyable and the story had a good amount of suspense and thrill to it, and of course a heap of action; as it a Statham movie after all. The story moves forward at a good pace and there isn't really any dull moments in the movie. The action sequences are well choreographed and come off a rather brutal, raw and hard-hitting.

This movie is definitely a great action movie and if you are a fan of Jason Statham, then you have to watch this one. It was like watching the good old action movies from the late 80's and early 90's that I grew up with, just updated to suit today's audience. Jason Statham delivers the goods once again.

I'm afraid that I need a little more than non-stop gunfights to make a movie worthwhile, but essentially what I found here was just that - it was a non stop gunfight; very violent, very bloody. I'm not the squeamish type. Those things don't bother me. I just need a decent story to go along with them. That was sorely lacking here.

The opening scenes of the movie were simply confusing. When things finally got connected it didn't get that much better. The story revolved around a young Chinese girl (Catherine Chan) - kidnapped in China and forced to the United States because she had a photographic memory and amazing mathematical skills and was of use to the Chinese mafia in New York City. Particularly, they got her to memorize the combination to a safe with $50 million in it. She escapes, and hooks up with Luke (Jason Statham), who becomes her protector.

I never did really understand the scene in which the two of them meet and he feels a connection with her, and I just honestly didn't find this movie to be at all interesting. (1/10)

Any other lead in this film, would've made this a cheap B-grade flick. Add Jason Statham into the mix, and it's a knock 'em sock 'em kick-butt pistol-whipping Hollywood blockbuster. That is all. Great pacing, length, action scenes and the writing and directing by Boaz Yakin was decent. It's an 8/10 from me, most of it going to Statham.

Nothing wrong with some dumb action movies but this was one I just couldn't ever really get into or liked watching.

It's being a very typical genre flick, that perhaps is only good to watch late at night, on a Saturday evening, or something like that. It's not bad and it's indeed still entertaining enough but at the same time, I just can't call it a very good movie.

Perhaps it's true that I have seen too many movies like this one already but it was disappointing for me that this movie didn't ever played out as anything fresh or surprising. Besides, I had a hard time getting into this movie or feel involved with any of its characters and actions. This is probably due to it that the movie is being a very simplistic one with its story. The good news about this is that it's also being a very straightforward genre movie, with plenty of action to enjoy in it.

This isn't really the case for the first half of the movie though, which is needlessly slow and overlong. The movie definitely got better to watch in its second half, when its action kicked in. No doubt that the first half was meant to get us more involved with its characters and get to known them as well but the movie so easily also could had done this as the movie progressed, with plenty of action going on at the same time. There was no need for the movie really to take such a long time to establish and setup things.

Another thing that I didn't really liked about this movie was how absurd its story could get at times. I mean, the thing with the story is that almost literally everybody is a bad guy in it. The Russians, the Chinese, the cops. It's just a bit too much all and doesn't ever really work out as anything convincing or entertaining enough.

It's also true that Jason Statham is simply being Jason Statham again in this movie. He too often plays the same sort of character now days, which is really disappointing, since I actually quite like him as an actor and believe he has plenty of charisma and range in him as well.

The action still saves this movie from being a total disaster. It's being brought very lively to the screen by some great camera-work and nimble editing. It's watchable enough all but definitely nothing I can consider to be recommendable.

5/10

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