The trailer for the new Denzel Washington-Ryan Reynolds feature “Safe House,” just got released officially on the interwebs yesterday. The film centers around rogue CIA agent Tobin Frost (Washington in Training Day mode again) on the run from a generic group of bad guys. Reynolds’ character, the CIA safe house’s caretaker in Cape Town, has been given the task of moving him to the next secure location. Cue endless chase scenes and explosions.

The reason why I’m excited about this is that it is shot and set in Cape Town.

Usually when Hollywood comes to our doorstep they use Cape Town as a cheap stand in for downtown LA, Rio, or anywhere else in Africa. We rarely get to see our city on screen, and almost never is it represented authentically.

It’s fun to see not just the expected swooping helicopter shots over Table Mountain, but a chase scene in Lower Main Road Woodstock; De Waal drive (with its view of Table Bay) and Denzel dressed up in South African Police uniform. Nice use of the Kanye West/ Jay – Z track “No Church in the Wild” as well. Time will tell if the film is any good. I have hope.

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.