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Metascore
55 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 28 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Catherine Chan, Chris Sarandon, Jason Statham
  • Summary: A second-rate cage fighter on the mixed martial arts circuit, Luke Wright lives a numbing life of routine beatings and chump change... until the day he blows a rigged fight. Wanting to make an example of him, the Russian Mafia murders his family and banishes him from his life forever, leaving Luke to wander the streets of New York destitute, haunted by guilt, and tormented by the knowledge that he will always be watched, and anyone he develops a relationship with will also be killed. But when he witnesses a frightened twelve-year-old Chinese girl, Mei, being pursued by the same gangsters who killed his wife, Luke impulsively jumps to action... and straight into the heart of a deadly high-stakes war. (Lionsgate)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 25
  3. Negative: 2 out of 25
  1. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    Apr 26, 2012
    90
    Safe is both a slavish imitation of cinema gone by and a movie for our time. I found it wickedly entertaining and perversely refreshing in its total lack of contemporary piety.
  2. Total Film
    Reviewed by: James Mottram
    May 7, 2012
    60
    With Yakin's all-action plot operating like clockwork, an on-song Statham proves anything but expendable in a genre he dominates. Predictable, sure, but equally pleasurable.
  3. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Tom Russo
    Apr 30, 2012
    38
    Writer-director Boaz Yakin delivers his conflicting elements mostly as intended, and with obvious ambition. But he fails to take care of certain fundamentals - most problematically, coaxing out the emotion he's seeking from Statham and young newcomer Catherine Chan.

See all 25 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 2 out of 16
  1. NojEsco
    7
    Safe is a rather entertaining and somewhat competent action flick. It features some nice brutal action and a surprisingly intelligent relationship between a hero and a little girl he is protecting. The movie does, admittedly, take too long setting up the situation before the two meet; I'd estimate a solid third of the movie, which is a tad annoying since it is all a series of flashbacks. There is also a distinct lack of action in this opening chapter as well, despite a high amount of tension, enemies being forged in a series of rather heated moments. When the action comes, however, it is engaging and energetic. The reason for all action sequences is generally clear, and this helps the audience connect with the situation in the movie. Additionally, when Statham engages in a fight scene, he not only pulls a convincing performance of anger and fury, but also a clear look of desperation, as he is on a personal mission to keep this girl safe and free. And that brings me up to another point: I also appreciated that Statham's character is helping this girl on his own accord, for understandable but non-sappy personal reasons, versus some cliche reason, such as being a mercenary, or her being the daughter of some VIP. And the ending of the movie does leave one with a reasonable amount of satisfaction; if there is a sequel or not is pretty much unimportant. As an action movie, it's enjoyable - the gunfights are tight and the shoot-outs/fight sequences are very well choreographed and blocked. My only serious complaint is that the cinematography often has the camera too close in on the action; a common problem with today's movies, and still annoying, but not the worst I've seen.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. mschoa
    4
    It's an extremely violent film and shows many racial stereotypes too, although I liked the fact that it shows a Chinese girl who is a mathematical genius (another stereotype). I love Jason Statham as an actor, although I think he should be given a better script to show off his acting chops.… Expand
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  3. JamesL
    2
    What a horrible excuse for a film. The whole point here was to show ultra violent scenes, not to have a story that anyone cpould give a damn about.. I thought "Safehouse"was absurd but this makes it look like a calm, deliberate masterpiece. Violence, gore, and brain matter splattering acroos the sreen do not make a film. Half the time, you do not even know who is being killed. Also, I am sick and tired of the shaky camera technique. I am not a prude but this nonsense is getting out of hand. Pure garbarge.… Expand
    • 2 of 2 users said yes

See all 16 User Reviews

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