Its interesting that Jerry Bruckheimer chose to deliver the pain of a terrorist ferry explosion to the already “Katrina-torn” New Orleans. The starkness of the damage wrought by Katrina certainly provided a dramatic background to the story that unfolds on the big screen.

Denzel Washington plays cool as ice Doug Carlin who is an ATF officer recruited to assist an FBI unit in tracking down the person responsible for the explosion of a ferry that kills 500 innocents. The unit is headed by a rather sedate Val Kilmer. The person responsible for the explosion is Jim Caviezel. Added to the mix is a beautiful woman, whom Denzel falls in love with, who turns up with the dead bodies in the river but seemingly killed before the actual explosion happens, and a time-travel type machine.

This is the type of movie that always raises more questions than it answers but is compelling viewing nevertheless. It’s a pretty unique storyline though there will be a sense of déjà vu (oh dear – sorry about that!) about some of the themes. The movie was very smart and somehow finds a way of delivering an ultimately satisfying ending.