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Parents' Guide to

Deja Vu

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Violent terrorism thriller isn't meant for kids.

Movie PG-13 2006 125 minutes
Deja Vu Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

littleone522
littleone522 Parent of 12-year-old
March 11, 2011
age 15+

Brief Nudity and Violence Not for young viewers

Its a good movie for adults and older teens. My concerns for the younger viewers would be the violence as there is alot in this film, including a man getting shot and burned, and a bomb blowing up a ship with many people on board, body bags lined up. Language wasn't an issue in this movie however NUDITY was a women is seen completely naked her breasts and butt are both visible as she gets into the shower.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Great role models
4 people found this helpful.
Tsion
Tsion Parent of 15-year-old
August 12, 2010
age 14+

A Riveting, Violent Thriller...

Just to head this review off, I think that DEJA VU should have been rated R. It's fine for most kids 15 and up, but intense violence makes it unsuitable for most kids who will want to see it. The film has a very gritty feel to it, and though the violence isn't particularly graphic, it is very harrowing to watch. One scene where a man is covered in oil, shot through the head, and then set on fire seems pretty harsh for a PG-13 rating. The film opens with a ferry containing 500+ soldiers and their families (the camera focuses on children) explodes, killing everyone. We see scorched bodies in the water, and greiving family members. We also see the badly burned body of the main female character, missing a few fingers on one hand. We hear a verbal description of her murder (she was killed similarly to the man I mentioned before). Also, a man explodes with a car bomb underwater, a second man is shot in the head (not graphic), and we see several bloody scratches and wounds on people. The whole plot is too mature for kids, and deals with themes like vigilantism and terrorism. Though the villain is obviously a poor role model, the two main characters sacrifice their well-being and possibly their lives to do what they think is right. There is some mild language ("b**ch", "a*s", "d**n") and one scene shows a split second view of the side of a female character's breast as she steps into the shower.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A thriller with a science-fiction twist, DDJJ VU begins with a terrorist attack -- a bomb explodes aboard a ferry carrying Navy sailors on leave. Among the authorities trying to sort out the crime scene is ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington), who's particularly good at reading details. His acute interpretations of bomb residues, bodies, and video surveillance tapes draw the attention of FBI special agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer), who recruits Doug for a special anti-terrorism team. Complications arise when Doug learns that one woman's body (Claire) shows signs of the explosion -- even though she died minutes before the bomb went off. The FBI trots out surveillance technology that enables them to observe her last few days, hoping that she'll lead them to the terrorist. Doug quickly figures out that this set-up isn't what it appears to be – the FBI has the ability to "warp the very fabric of space."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Washington's focused performance holds the movie's various generic and thematic strands together. Doug is certainly an intrepid and even romantic hero, devoting himself to Claire's case. But he's also a believably skeptical detective, and his questions about motives and technologies tend to mirror the audience's. This third collaboration between Washington and director Tony Scott (the others being 2004's Man on Fire and 1995's Crimson Tide) combines elaborate stunts and psychological ambiguities in order to challenge audience expectations.

The effectiveness of this combination is manifest in the movie's characterization of suspect Carroll Oerstadt (Jim Caviezel). His desire for revenge against the U.S. military is at once personal and political, with oblique connections to current recruitment concerns as well as definitions of "patriotism." Such details make Déjà Vu, although uneven, more intriguing than the usual action thriller.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the concept of déjà vu: How does it provide a dramatic hook for a movie? What are the characters' different motivations (revenge, self-sacrifice, desire, revulsion, science, faith, etc.)? How do different motivations lead to different results? Families can also discuss the possibilities of time travel. What would you change about your own behavior if you could go back in time? Did you know this movie was about time travel before you saw it? Do you think marketers and producers consciously chose to downplay that angle? Why?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: November 21, 2006
  • On DVD or streaming: April 24, 2007
  • Cast: Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Val Kilmer
  • Director: Tony Scott
  • Inclusion Information: Black actors
  • Studio: Touchstone Pictures
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 125 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images and some sensuality.
  • Last updated: June 20, 2023

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