The underrated 2006 movie that Denzel Washington saved from oblivion
Denzel Washington has proven to be a great filmmaker in his own right with The Great Debaters and Fences, but he has also developed strong relationships with directors he enjoys working with, once ensuring that one of his best collaborators wouldn’t quit a film.
Although he has made multiple films with Edward Zwick, Spike Lee, and Antoine Fuqua, he’s been most successful when working alongside Tony Scott, one of the most underrated directors of all time.
Washington and Scott would first work together on the 1995 submarine thriller Crimson Tide, in which he played a submarine officer who disagrees with the orders passed down by his arrogant commanding officer, played by Gene Hackman. It was a truly riveting experience to see Hackman and Washington, both of whom were Oscar-winners at this point, go head-to-head in a confined location thriller in which they portrayed men with deep military pride. Although Hackman is one of the most celebrated actors of all-time, Washington proved that he was worthy of sharing the screen with him.
Scott and Washington made five films together, including Unstoppable, which would end up being the last project that the director ever made before his death. While they were known for getting along with one another quite well, Washington and the director did face some difficulties making the 2006 science fiction thriller Déjà Vu. It starred Washington as an ATF agent who discovers evidence of a terrorist attack in New Orleans and uses mysterious time travel technology to try to prevent the tragedy from occurring.
It was one of the most technically advanced films that Scott ever made; while he was responsible for classic action films like Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop II, Déjà Vu had a sci-fi component that he had never dealt with before. The film also had political and social importance, as it was one of the first films to show in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Scott had been growing concerned and considered leaving the film entirely, but writers Terry Rossio and Bill Marsilii spent two weeks revising the script so that it would fit with all of Washington’s notes. The actor was convinced that the changes made would be substantial enough, and succeeded in getting Scott to re-commit.
It was a sign of Scott’s faith in Washington that he trusted him that the film would be a worthwhile endeavour, and Déjà Vu was a surprise hit in the summer of 2006 that served as a significant booster for the New Orleans economy.
The film was a fascinating midpoint for Scott and Washington’s collaborations, as it showed that they were transitioning away from action heroes to working-class protagonists. Although Crimson Tide was a military thriller and Man on Fire was a hitman thriller, Déjà Vu saw Washington in the more relatable role of a member of the deferral enforcement agency. He continued to take on more grounded roles in his next two films with Scott, playing a train dispatcher in The Taking of Pelham 123, and starring as a railroad engineer in Unstoppable.
Scott’s tragic death in 2012 was a major blow to the industry, as he likely would have worked with Washington several more times. However, Washington has also developed a strong bond with his brother, Ridley Scott, who first directed him in American Gangster before they reunited to make Gladiator II.
