Washington, Reynolds and Radcliffe take viewers on thrilling, chilling rides

HOW far would you go to protect the truth? In Daniel Espinosa’s gritty morality tale, “Safe House,” Ryan Reynolds plays ambitious CIA operative, Matt Weston, who suddenly finds himself trapped in a moral dilemma presented by the surprise arrest of Denzel Washington’s elusive good-agent-gone-rogue character, Tobin Frost.

Weston’s job is to look after the cunning fugitive, who is said to have incriminating information about the world’s top intelligence organizations. The situation puts him and his girlfriend in grave danger. But, at the same time, he sees it as a rare opportunity to rise up the ranks—and his way out of his backwater post in Cape Town, South Africa!

When mercenaries start ripping the safe house apart, however, Matt realizes there’s more to Frost’s story than meets the eye: Is he hero or heel? With Washington playing the ambiguous Frost, that’s a hard question to answer. But, that’s also what makes “Safe House” such a riveting viewing experience—the 57-year-old actor keeps viewers guessing whose side he’s on, and makes every scene excitingly urgent.

How does Reynolds do in his thespic face-off with his formidable costar? Very well, indeed. By deciding to do away with the winking wisecracks that have been his convenient acting “crutch” in past starrers, the 35-year-old actor proves he’s not just another handsome hunk. In his cogently staged moments of moral indecision, he makes his scenes ripple and soar!

‘The Woman in Black’

We were also apprehensive about watching Daniel Radcliffe play against type—in the screen adaptation of “The Woman in Black,” whose terrific stage version we saw in London many years ago. Is Harry Potter better at battling vengeful ghosts than chasing wizards and saving muggles? Not necessarily—but, the good news is, he passes muster!

In James Watkins’ terrifying horror film, Radcliffe portrays Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer who travels to a remote village to settle the contentious estate of a reclusive client, who recently passed away.

But, his arrival is greeted with violence and multiple deaths, attributed to the wrath of a female ghost, who’s clad in black. At the heart of the titular character’s story is the tragedy that befell the family of Kipps’ client, Alice; her disturbed sister, Jennet, and her 7-year-old son, Nathaniel. How their conflict plays out is the fuel that keeps the Woman in Black’s revenge-driven engine throbbing.

Watkin’s movie is a triumph of mood and production design, which transports viewers into a sweepingly bleak place cut off from the rest of the world.

Like its stage version, the must-see film knows how to scare without bombarding viewers with deafening sounds or shocking gore. You want your horror flick to give you a crawling, creeping sense of dread? This is it.