In a 2005 interview with the Sunday Times, the late Tony Scott shared a profound insight into the key artistic difference between himself and his older brother Ridley. He stated, “[He] makes films for posterity … they’ll be around for a long time. I think my films are more rock’n’roll.” This statement encapsulated the essence of their contrasting creative approaches. While Ridley Scott’s movies often possess a classical and operatic quality in both scope and style, Tony Scott’s films were marked by a more experimental edge. His works were a rebellious attempt to create beauty out of divine chaos. The 2006 film Déjà Vu stands as a pinnacle of this creative ethos. It is a high-octane sci-fi action hybrid that poses a thought-provoking question: would you be willing to risk your life to go back in time and save a loved one?

The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Déjà Vu

Shot just months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Déjà Vu unfolds on the humid streets of New Orleans. The film begins in the aftermath of a grisly terrorist bombing on a passenger ferry on the Mississippi. Special agent Doug Carlin (portrayed by the wonderfully crackly Denzel Washington) is called in to investigate the attack. He is quickly whisked away to an experimental unit of the FBI led by Val Kilmer. This unit hopes to use a time-shifting surveillance device to prevent the attack from occurring. The setting of New Orleans, still reeling from the hurricane, adds an extra layer of tension and authenticity to the story.

Themes of Surveillance and Patriot Act

Tony Scott has long been fascinated by our relationship with state-sanctioned technology. Films like Top Gun and Crimson Tide transformed the interior spaces of fighter jets and nuclear submarines into battlefields for warring egos and ideologies. Déjà Vu takes the surveillance-state concerns explored in Enemy of the State and reworks them for a post-9/11 society. It is a Patriot Act-era political thriller crossed with a techno-paranoia fantasy. America’s fractured national psyche provides the perfect framework for this highly enjoyable action film, which is elevated by its science fiction elements.

The Romance in Déjà Vu

When Doug catches his first glimpse of Claire Kuchever (played by Paula Patton), one of the suspected victims of the bombing, Déjà Vu takes a more provocative turn. Blowing up her face on a giant LED screen, the audience can see the gears start to turn in Doug’s head. Is there a reality where she is still alive? Can he go back in time and save her from her fate? Scott, quietly one of Hollywood’s most romantic film-makers, infuses this moment with an aching desire. A piano ballad tinkles in the background as Doug stares at Claire. Up until this point, he has only ever seen her corpse. This emotional depth adds a new dimension to the film.

The Frenetic Visual Style of Tony Scott

Having developed his frenetic visual style on the sets of commercials and music videos, Tony Scott’s films were not typically associated with highbrow inclinations. His final films were visually chaotic, with rapid edits, oversaturated colours, and 360-degree helicopter shots bombarding audiences with information. Déjà Vu is perhaps the greatest synthesis of this frenzied storytelling approach. The roaming camera movements and constant snap zooms situate us within the invasive nature of omnipotent digital surveillance.

A Bravura Action Set-piece

A bravura action set-piece that takes place across two temporal realms showcases the best of this abrasive style. In a thrilling car-chase sequence, Doug drives a mobile version of the time-viewing device against oncoming traffic in the present while receiving directions from his FBI colleagues tracking the attack’s perpetrator in the past. When the apparatus malfunctions, Doug is forced to control the device himself. His obsession with saving Claire, or more specifically an image of her, compels him to risk his life and navigate through the parallel timelines simultaneously.

Remembering Tony Scott

When Tony Scott died in 2012, he was in the middle of scouting locations for future projects. After his death, Denzel Washington, one of Scott’s most frequent collaborators, was asked what he would miss most about his friend. He replied, “Just his passion. His energy. His shorts. That pink hat.” For anyone who has seen a photo of Tony Scott on set, this answer comes as no shock. There are some images you never want to forget.Déjà Vu is available to stream on Disney+ in Australia and the UK and can be rented online in the US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here.