Flight (2012)

The opening sequence plane crash is thrilling and Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and John Goodman elevate the material, but too much of the film feels like a movie of the week about alcoholism. Plus, all the talk about religion and miracles gets old.

d: Robert Zemeckis | imdb.com | trailer
Uncontrolled dive | Harling visits Whip | Life in prison

Safe House (2012)

Young gun Ryan Reynolds transports rogue CIA operative Denzel Washington from one safe house to another, fighting and chasing him along the way, in a pretty average spy thriller. Reynolds works hard, but he is too pretty, too Canadian to be a bad ass.

d: Daniel Espinosa | imdb.com | trailer | House guest
Car fight | I’m a police officer. | Who do you work for?

The Book of Eli (2010)

Thirty years after the end of the world, Denzel Washington still walks the earth in a “Road Warrior” pilgrimage, fighting off cannibals and thieves. Then he finds a town ruled by Gary Oldham, a Western ensues, and there’s one hell of a payoff at the end.

d: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes | imdb.com | trailer | That book.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

In a remake of the 1974 thriller, Denzel Washington plays the dispatcher in charge when John Travolta hijacks a subway train, demanding $10 million in an hour. Tony Scott’s direction can be distracting, but the performances are top-notch.

d: Tony Scott | imdb.com | trailer | Hostage | First one to go