You can’t do a time travel story unless you’re willing to take the time to explain the rules clearly. In the fast paced sci-fi thriller, Déjà Vu, Tony Scott speeds though the explanation to get to the rousing car chase sequence and eventual villain showdown. However, as convoluted as the time travel issues are, there’s a solid movie underneath it all.
While Scott’s use of slow motion is initially aggravating, he stops using it as the film moves on. Déjà Vu opens in grand style with a ferry explosion before settling down into a standard crime drama. Things change drastically when star Denzel Washington learns about time travel technology dreamt up by the government that lets people see into the past.
Eventually things take a turn for the worse when people are transported back into time. While this does lead to exciting finale, in the end, there are more questions than answers. The Hollywood ending feels tacked on and illogical.
Still, Scott handles the material with care, and Washington remains one of the best actors working today even with this messy script. The film’s highlight is undoubtedly the car chase in which Washington, in the present, chases the ferry bomber who is in the past. If it sounds confusing, it is. However, the action is energetic and by that point of Déjà Vu, you’ve stopped trying to make sense of it all.
Like the ending, the entire the time travel concept also feels out of place. What opens the film is a typical, albeit well done, investigation. Everyone’s character is skilled at what they do, and it’s not hard to see the killer coming into custody without the sci-fi babble. Instead, time travel is used to lead to the happy ending and keep the star actors alive until the final credits.
Credit is due to the makers of the film for at least trying something unique. Whether it works or not, with the aid of suspension of disbelief, this is an entertaining piece of filmmaking. It’s colorful, fast paced, and the illogical mystery is still intriguing. Déjà Vu is seriously flawed, but still fun. 
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