You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and you realize the actors are actually having a blast, even if the plot is absolutely insane? That's the vibe of the 2006 Denzel Washington Val Kilmer film, Deja Vu.
It’s a Tony Scott flick. If you know Scott, you know the drill: saturated colors, dizzying camera cuts, and Denzel looking cool in a suit while everything explodes. But this one? It’s different. It’s a time-travel movie that tries really hard to pretend it isn't a time-travel movie for the first forty-five minutes.
The Setup Most People Forget
Most folks remember this as "the one where Denzel looks into the past." Honestly, it’s a bit more "out there" than that. Denzel plays Doug Carlin, an ATF agent investigating a ferry bombing in New Orleans.
Then enters Val Kilmer.
Kilmer plays FBI Agent Andrew Pryzwarra. He’s the guy who introduces Denzel—and us—to "Snow White." No, not the princess. It's a top-secret surveillance system that supposedly uses satellite feeds to look four days and six hours into the past.
Here’s the kicker: it’s not just a recording. It’s a literal window.
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Why the Denzel and Val Dynamic Worked
By 2006, Val Kilmer was in what he called his "middle-aged scruffy mode." He wasn't the chiseled Iceman anymore. He was playing third fiddle to Denzel and the villain, Jim Caviezel.
But there’s a quiet respect on screen.
Denzel is all intuition and "boots on the ground" energy. Kilmer is the technical gatekeeper. It’s a pairing we didn't get enough of. In fact, Kilmer famously said at the time that he had zero qualms about playing second fiddle to Washington. He just wanted to work with Tony Scott again after their Top Gun days.
The chemistry isn't about buddy-cop jokes. It’s about two heavyweights grounding a premise that, frankly, is kind of ridiculous. I mean, they use a laser pointer to try and touch the past. It shouldn't work. It does because Denzel looks at the screen with such conviction that you believe a laser can cross space-time.
The New Orleans Connection
They filmed this right after Hurricane Katrina. You can feel the weight of it. The production was actually delayed because the city was in such bad shape.
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When you see the devastation in the background, it’s not a Hollywood set. That’s real. The film is actually dedicated to the people of New Orleans. It gives the whole "preventing a disaster" theme a much darker, more resonant undertone than your average summer blockbuster.
That One Car Chase (You Know The One)
If you haven't seen the Denzel Washington Val Kilmer film in a while, go back and watch the car chase. It’s legendary.
Denzel is driving a Hummer in the present while wearing a rig that lets him see where the killer was in the past. He’s weaving through 2006 traffic while chasing a ghost from four days ago.
- It’s chaotic.
- It’s filmed with fifteen different cameras.
- It makes absolutely no sense if you think about it for more than three seconds.
- It is arguably the most original car chase of the 2000s.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
People argue about the "time-loop" logic of Deja Vu constantly. Does Doug Carlin die? Well, one version of him does. The movie suggests that by going back, he creates a new timeline.
It’s a "happy ending" with a side of existential dread.
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The Doug Carlin at the end of the movie isn't the one we followed for the first two hours. He’s a version of Doug who hasn't experienced the trauma of the investigation yet. It’s a bit of a mind-bender that the movie breezes past because, well, Tony Scott had more things to blow up.
The Legacy of the Collaboration
Sadly, this was the only time we got Denzel and Val together in a major way. Kilmer’s health struggles in the 2010s and his passing in early 2025 (pneumonia following his long battle with throat cancer) mean we won't see a reunion.
But Deja Vu stands as this weird, beautiful artifact. It was the 23rd most successful film of 2006, pulling in about $180 million. Critics were mixed—some called it ludicrous, others called it a masterpiece of style.
Actionable Insights for Movie Night:
If you’re going to revisit this classic, here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Watch the backgrounds: Look for the real-life post-Katrina New Orleans footage. It adds a layer of documentary-style grit.
- Focus on the "Snow White" screens: The tech looks like an old editing suite. Tony Scott (who hated digital) designed it to look like a filmmaker’s workstation.
- Check out the score: Harry Gregson-Williams had the orchestra play music in reverse and then flipped it for the recording to create that "deja vu" audio sensation.
- Ignore the "why": Don't try to solve the physics. The movie tells you it’s a wormhole. Just nod and watch Denzel be Denzel.
If you want to see a masterclass in how to make a "ludicrous" premise feel like a high-stakes thriller, this is the one. It’s a reminder of a time when original sci-fi got big budgets and even bigger stars.
Next Steps to Explore More:
To appreciate the era better, watch Tony Scott’s Man on Fire (2004) to see the peak of his collaboration with Denzel, then pivot to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) to see the "scruffy" Val Kilmer era at its absolute best.