"Actor: Denzel Washington"

• Heart Condition | DVD | (16/07/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Bob Hoskins and Denzel Washington star in this high-spirited comedy from the producer of Forrest Gump. Hoskins is Moony an overweight out-of-shape narrow minded vice cop who's in love with a hooker named Crystal (Chloe Webb). Washington is Stone a slick urban lawyer who's defending Crystal. Moony hates Stone. But Moony suffers a heart attack and Stone dies suddenly in a car accident - The two become closer than they ever dreamed possible as Stone's heart is transplanted into Moony's body! And if that wasn't bad enough Stone comes back from the dead to haunt Moony with a story about how he was really murdered by drug dealers and now they're after Crystal. Stone will keep on haunting Moony until they solve his murder together!

• Phone Booth / The Siege / Speed | DVD | (06/09/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Phone Booth A single phone call can change a man's life...or possibly end it. Stu Shepard is a self-centered New York City publicist who suddenly finds himself on the deadly end of a high-powered rifle scope. Now it's a real-time race against the clock as Stu must outwit a psychotic sniper in a frantic scramble from phone booth to freedom. The Siege When a crowded city bus blows up in Brooklyn and a campaign of terror begins to make its bloody mark on the streets of New York it's up to FBI special agent Anthony Hub Hubbard (Washington) and U.S. Army General William Devereaux (Willis) to find out who's responsible and put an end to the destruction. Speed Hold on tight for a rush of pulse-pounding thrills breathtaking stunts and unexpected romance in a film you'll want to see again and again. Keanu Reeves stars as Jack Traven an LAPD Swat team specialist who is sent to defuse a bomb that a revenge-driven extortionist (Dennis Hopper) has planted on a bus. But until he does Jack and passenger Sandra Bullock must keep the bus speeding through the streets of Los Angeles at more than 50 miles an hour - or the bomb will explode!

• The Magnificent Seven Limited Edition Steelbook (FR Import) | Blu Ray | (23/01/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  import item may contain foreign writing on rear jcard which is easily removed Industrialist Bartholomew Bogue reigns supreme over the small town of Rose Creek. To end the despotism of the businessman, the locals, desperate, engage seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired killers - Sam Chisolm, Josh Farraday, Goodnight Robicheaux, Jack Horne, Billy Rocks , Vasquez, and Red Harvest. As they prepare for what promises to be a merciless confrontation, these seven mercenaries are realizing that they are fighting for something else than money ...

• Glory (Blu-ray + UV Copy) | Blu Ray | (02/09/2013) from £17.53   |  Saving you £-4.54 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The Blu-ray Mastered in 4K collection will set a new standard for Blu-ray HD picture and sound creating the ultimate 1080p home entertainment experience. Created from the highest quality 4K source materials with new expanded colour consumers can enjoy a brilliant picture with exquisite detail using their existing Blu-ray player or PlayStation 3. The Blu-ray Mastered in 4K collection is optimized so that 4K Ultra HD TV owners can take full advantage of the new 4K upscaling technology delivering an outstanding near-4K experience. Mastered in 4K Blu-rays also work with all 1080p HDTVs for spectacular high definition picture and sound. Winner of the 1989 Oscar for Best Sound and Best Cinematography the heart-stopping story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War Glory stars Matthew Broderick Denzel Washington Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops; and Denzel Washington in an Oscar winning performance (1989 Best Supporting Actor) is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts.

• Devil In A Blue Dress | DVD | (15/05/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  Despite rave reviews as one of the most stylish and intelligent detective pictures in a number of years, this 1995 adaptation of Walter Mosley's novel never found a mass audience. Too bad, because Carl Franklin's film is nearly perfect in every way, from its rich, shadowy look to its depiction of life in post-World War II black America (LA-style) to the acting of Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and others. Washington plays Easy Rawlins, an aircraft factory worker who is laid off only to find his true calling: as a private eye, albeit an unlicensed one. Hired to find a missing woman, he becomes entangled in a complex but satisfying case involving sex, corruption, racism and, of course, money. Devil In A Blue Dress is top-notch from top to bottom--and Cheadle is dangerously funny as Easy's best friend, a killer named Mouse. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

• American Gangster/Gladiator/Black Hawk Down | DVD | (22/09/2008) from £7.99   |  Saving you £17.00 (68.00%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Titles Comprise: American Gangster: Drug-kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles heroin into the US by hiding it with the bodies of soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. By delivering a product that is far superior to his competitors Lucas has rapidly established his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer. While Lucas delicately constructs his own criminal empire Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) one of the few honest detectives in a corrupt system senses a sizeable shift within the hierarchy of the drug underworld and sets out to investigate this hitherto unknown power player that has come out of the shadows to dominate the drug trade. But with Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) Roberts' crooked and jealous colleague wanting to obstruct and ruin the integrity of his idealistic counterpart Roberts is left with little option other than to take desperate measures to end Lucas' rule in Harlem. Gladiator: The great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) has once again led the legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won Maximus dreams of home wanting only to return to his wife and son; however the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has one more duty for the general - to assume the mantle of his power. Jealous of Maximus' favor with the emperor the heir to the throne Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) orders his execution - and that of his family. Barely escaping death Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows. Now he has come to Rome intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor; Commodus... Black Hawk Down: Ridley Scott directs this fast moving action adventure about the disastrous mission in Somalia on October 3 1993 where nearly 100 U.S. Army Rangers commanded by Capt. Mike Steele were dropped by helicopter deep into the capital city of Mogadishu to capture two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord which leads to a large and chaotic firefight between the Rangers and hundreds of Somali gunmen which destroys two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters in Mogadishu.

• Ultimate Gangster Collection | DVD | (13/10/2008) from £39.13   |  Saving you £-4.14 (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

  American Gangster (2007): Drug-kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles heroin into the US by hiding it with the bodies of soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. By delivering a product that is far superior to his competitors Lucas has rapidly established his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer. While Lucas delicately constructs his own criminal empire Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) one of the few honest detectives in a corrupt system senses a sizeable shift within the hierarchy of the drug underworld and sets out to investigate this hitherto unknown power player that has come out of the shadows to dominate the drug trade. But with Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) Roberts' crooked and jealous colleague wanting to obstruct and ruin the integrity of his idealistic counterpart Roberts is left with little option other than to take desperate measures to end Lucas' rule in Harlem. Scarface (1983): In the spring of 1980 the port at Mariel Harbour was opened and thousands set sail for the United States. They came in search of the American Dream. One of them found it on the sun-washed avenues of Miami... wealth power and passion beyond his wildest dreams. He was Tony Montana. The world will remember him by another name - Scarface! Casino (1995): Robert De Niro Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese's riveting look at how blind ambition white-hot passion and 24-carat greed toppled an empire. Las Vegas in 1973 is the setting for this fact-based story about the Mob's multi-million dollar casino operation - where fortunes and lives were made and lost with a roll of the dice... In an era of over-the-top glitz Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (De Niro) is riding high as front man for the Mob's multi-billion dollar Las Vegas operation. To protect their 'investment' the bosses send in Ace's boyhood pal - hot-headed enforcer Nicky Santoro (Pesci). It's a winning hand: Ace's brain and Nicky's muscle... until sexy wildcard Ginger McKenna (Stone) turns up the heat. Carlito's Way (1993): The year is 1975 and former gangster Carlito Brigante has just been released from jail after serving the first five years of a long sentence. Carlito's lawyer David Kleinfeld has discovered a loop hole in the law and this time Carlito is determined to go straight. He wants to retire to the Bahamas and set up a small business with his girlfriend Gail. All he needs is a stake. Suddenly Kleinfeld comes forward with the perfect proposition. Just a small debt of friendship. Consider it a favour. But if Carlito's learned anything from the streets it's that a favour will kill you faster than a bullet... Mean Streets (1973): 'Mean Streets' heralded Martin Scorsese's arrival as a new filmmaking force - and marked his first historic teaming with Robert De Niro. It's a story Scorsese lived a semi-autobiographical tale of first-generation sons and daughters in New York's Little Italy. Harvey Keitel plays Charlie working his way up the ranks of a local mob. Amy Robinson is Teresa the girlfriend his family deems unsuitable because of her epilepsy. And in the starmaking role that won Best Supporting Actor Awards from the New York and National Society of Film Critics De Niro is Johnny Boy a small-time gambler in big-time debt to the loan sharks...

• Unstoppable/Man On Fire/The Siege | DVD | (02/09/2013) from £3.99   |  Saving you £12.00 (75.00%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Unstoppable: Inspired by actual events, Unstoppable is an adrenaline rush fuelled by director Tony Scott's signature mark of propulsive action rooted in the reality of ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances. A veteran train engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) race the clock to stop an unmanned runaway train - effectively a missile the size of a skyscraper -- and prevent disaster in a heavily populated area. Man On Fi...

• Safe House Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray + DVD + UV Digital Copy) | Blu Ray | (15/06/2012) from £26.90   |  Saving you £3.09 (11.49%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Oscar winner Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in the action-thriller Safe House. Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he's remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A housekeeper who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he’s had proves to be the most dangerous man he's ever met, Weston readies for duty. Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA's known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he's done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he's now back on the reservation with a secret. As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston's safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it's up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they're both eliminated from the game. Blu-ray Special Features: Making Safe House Hand-to-Hand Action Shooting the Safe House Attack Building the Rooftop Chase Behind the Action Inside the CIA Safe Harbor: Cape Town Universal Centennial Trailer DVD Special Features: Behind the Action Universal Centennial Trailer Blu-Ray Trailer Battleship Trailer Contraband Trailer

• Glory | Blu Ray | (17/08/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The heart-stopping story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War Glory stars Matthew Broderick Denzel Washington Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops; and Denzel Washington in an Oscar winning performance is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts.

• American Gangster/Gladiator/State Of Play | Blu Ray | (05/11/2013) from £11.99   |  Saving you £18.00 (150.12%)   |  RRP £29.99

  State of Play / Gladiator / American Gangster

• Joan Of Arc: The Messenger / Glory / The Patriot | DVD | (17/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Joan Of Arc: The year is 1429. France is in polical and religious turmoil as members of the royal family battle for rule. But one peasant girl from a remote village gave her country the miracle it was looking for. Milla Jovovich is Joan of Arc a young woman who would inspire and lead her countrymen until her execution at the age of nineteen. Raised in a religious family Joan witnessed her sister's rape and death at the hands of an invading army. Years later as the same war raged on Joan stood before her king with a message she claimed came from God: give her an army and in God's name she would reclaim his diminished kingdom. But was the message real or the delusion of a girl whose life had been shattered? Glory: The heart-stopping story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War Glory stars Matthew Broderick Denzel Washington Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops; and Denzel Washington in an Oscar winning performance is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts. The Patriot: A hero of the fierce French and Indian conflict Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) had renounced fighting forever to raise his family in peace. But when the British arrive at his South Carolina home and endanger what he holds most dear Martin takes up arms alongside his idealistic patriot son Gabriel (Heath Ledger of 10 Things I Hate About You) and leads a brave rebel Militia into battle against a relentless and overwhelming English army. In the process he discovers the only way to protect his family is to fight for the young nation's freedom.

• State Of Play/Gladiator/American Gangster | DVD | (20/09/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  State of Play: Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars in this nail-biting thriller from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland). When reporter Cal McCaffrey finds himself embroiled in a series of murders his skills of deduction lead him to sources at the top of the U.S political system. Handsome unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out. McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor Cameron (Oscar winner Helen Mirren) who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer's identity McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation's power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake no one's integrity love or life is ever safe. Gladiator: The great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) has once again led the legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won Maximus dreams of home wanting only to return to his wife and son; however the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has one more duty for the general - to assume the mantle of his power. Jealous of Maximus' favor with the emperor the heir to the throne Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) orders his execution - and that of his family. Barely escaping death Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows. Now he has come to Rome intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor; Commodus.... American Gangster: Drug-kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles heroin into the US by hiding it with the bodies of soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. By delivering a product that is far superior to his competitors Lucas has rapidly established his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer. While Lucas delicately constructs his own criminal empire Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) one of the few honest detectives in a corrupt system senses a sizeable shift within the hierarchy of the drug underworld and sets out to investigate this hitherto unknown power player that has come out of the shadows to dominate the drug trade. But with Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) Roberts' crooked and jealous colleague wanting to obstruct and ruin the integrity of his idealistic counterpart Roberts is left with little option other than to take desperate measures to end Lucas' rule in Harlem.

• Safe House (2012) / American Gangster (2007) - Double Pack | DVD | (01/10/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Safe HouseOscar Winner Denzel Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he's remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. American GangsterAcademy Award winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe team with director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) in this powerful, epic story. Armed with ruthless, streetwise tactics and a strict sense of honour, crime boss Frank Lucas (Washington) rules Harlem's chaotic drug underworld. When outcast cop Richie Roberts (Crowe) sets out to bring down Lucas's multimillion-dollar empire, it plunges both men into a legendary confrontation. American Gangster is a brutal and brilliant film (Pete Hammond, Maxim).

• American Gangster | HD DVD | (10/03/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Ridley Scott's American Gangster is a brutal slick and stylish portrayal of real life cult figure and international drug smuggler Frank Lucas. With tangled webs deceit strong aggression shady characters and sinister plans American Gangster has the gritty and pleasurable nostalgia of classic gangster films such as The Godfather and Scarface. Drug-kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles heroin into the US by hiding it with the bodies of soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. By delivering a product that is far superior to his competitors Lucas has rapidly established his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer. While Lucas delicately constructs his own criminal empire Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) one of the few honest detectives in a corrupt system senses a sizeable shift within the hierarchy of the drug underworld and sets out to investigate this hitherto unknown power player that has come out of the shadows to dominate the drug trade. But with Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) Roberts' crooked and jealous colleague wanting to obstruct and ruin the integrity of his idealistic counterpart Roberts is left with little option other than to take desperate measures to end Lucas' rule in Harlem. Academy Award winning lead actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe both turn in exhilarating and exceptional performances. With an engrossing story powerful dialogue realistic violence and sharp stylish scenes American Gangster delivers a complete memorable finely made and richly satisfying crime epic that can be savoured again and again.

• Trapped / Identity / The Bone Collector | DVD | (17/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £18.99

  Trapped: When Will and Karen Jennings are held hostage and their daughter is abducted a relentless 24-hour plan is set in motion that will challenge everything they took for granted. Joe Hickley (Kevin Bacon) has orchestrated and mastered the foolproof plan to extort money from wealthy families. As the plan escalates and unravels Will and Karen who are trapped in different cities are pushed to the limit to get their daughter back alive... Identity: Caught in a savage rainstorm ten travellers are forced to seek refuge at a strange desert motel. They soon realize they've found anything but shelter. There is a killer among them and one by one they are murdered. As the storm rages on and the dead begin to outnumber the living one thing becomes clear: each of them was drawn to the motel not by accident or circumstance but by forces beyond imagination forces that promise anyone who survives a mind-bending and terrifying destiny. Bone Collector: He takes his victims' lives and leaves behind mysterious pieces of a bizarre puzzle. And the only person who may be able to make sense of the serial killer's deranged plan is Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) once a top homicide investigator. After a tragic accident changes his life forever Rhyme can only watch as other cops bungle the case until he teams up with a young rookie Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) but as the killer senses the cops closing in Rhyme realizes that he and his partner are on the trail of a vicious sadistic murderer who will stop at nothing on his deadly mission. At any moment Rhyme and Amelia could become his next targets; their first case together could become their last...

• TOUGH GUYS BOXSET | DVD | (26/10/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Man On Fire / The Transporter / Die Hard / Commando / Big Trouble In Little China [DVD]

• Ultimate Gangster Collection | Blu Ray | (11/10/2010) from £68.83   |  Saving you £-18.84 (N/A%)   |  RRP £49.99

  Titles Comprise: American Gangster: Drug-kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles heroin into the US by hiding it with the bodies of soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. By delivering a product that is far superior to his competitors Lucas has rapidly established his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer. While Lucas delicately constructs his own criminal empire Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) one of the few honest detectives in a corrupt system senses a sizeable shift within the hierarchy of the drug underworld and sets out to investigate this hitherto unknown power player that has come out of the shadows to dominate the drug trade. But with Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) Roberts' crooked and jealous colleague wanting to obstruct and ruin the integrity of his idealistic counterpart Roberts is left with little option other than to take desperate measures to end Lucas' rule in Harlem. Carlito's Way: Sprung from prison on a legal technicality by his cocaine-addled attorney (Sean Penn) former drug kingpin Carlito Brigante (Pacino) stuns the local underworld when he vows to go straight. Taking a job managing a glitzy low-life nightclub he tracks down his onetime girlfriend (Penelope Ann Miller) and rekindles their romance promising he's changed for good. But Carlito's dream of going legitimate is undermined at every turn by murderous former cronies and even deadlier young thugs out to make a name for themselves. Ultimately however his most dangerous enemy is himself. Despite good intentions Carlito's misguided loyalties and an outmoded code of honour will plunge him into a savage life-or-death battle against the relentless forces that refuse to let him go. Casino: Robert De Niro Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese's riveting look at how blind ambition white-hot passion and 24-carat greed toppled an empire. Las Vegas in 1973 is the setting for this fact-based story about the Mob's multi-million dollar casino operation - where fortunes and lives were made and lost with a roll of the dice... In an era of over-the-top glitz Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (De Niro) is riding high as front man for the Mob's multi-billion dollar Las Vegas operation. To protect their 'investment' the bosses send in Ace's boyhood pal - hot-headed enforcer Nicky Santoro (Pesci). It's a winning hand: Ace's brain and Nicky's muscle... until sexy wildcard Ginger McKenna (Stone) turns up the heat. Public Enemies: Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp Christian Bale and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard in the story of Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger: the charismatic bank robber who was relentlessly pursued by renowned FBI agent Melvin Purvis in a legendary game of cat-and-mouse.

• American Gangster - Screen Outlaws Edition | Blu Ray | (08/04/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Ridley Scott (Spy Game)'s American Gangster chronicles the life of a Harlem drug lord (Denzel Washington) and the cop (Russell Crowe) who tried to bring him to justice. Special Features: Exclusive Artwork and Artcard

• Antwone Fisher / Men Of Honour | DVD | (29/09/2003) from £13.93   |  Saving you £6.06 (43.50%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Autobiographical movies rarely get more truthfully moving than Antwone Fisher. The title is also the name of this fine drama's first-time screenwriter, a former Navy seaman who was working as a film-studio security guard when his life-inspired script was developed as Denzel Washington's directorial debut. This Hollywood dream gets better: unbeknown to the filmmakers, Derek Luke--a newcomer who won the title role over a throng of famous contenders--was also a friend of Fisher's, and the whole film seems blessed by this fortunate coincidence. Washington's sharp instincts as an actor serve him well, as both a subtle-handed director and Luke's costar playing Jerome Davenport, a Navy psychologist assigned to assess Fisher's chronic violent temper. Their therapy sessions prove mutually beneficial, as this touching true story addresses painful memories, broken desires, and heartfelt reunions without resorting to a contrived happy ending. Fisher's good life is worth celebrating, and Washington brings a delicate touch to the party. --Jeff Shannon Originally, Men of Honour was simply called Navy Diver and no doubt all involved held high hopes that it would be an award-winning biopic. Unfortunately, Carl Brashear's life as the first African-American Master Diver went through that vaguely distasteful contemporary Hollywood Marketing makeover and the result is not quite so worthy of its subject and intentions. The film's hopelessly clichéd tagline reads, "History is made by those who break the rules"; the direction is shot through with sunsets 'n' slow-mo; and the script is peppered with foreshadowing dialogue ("don't end up like me, son"). The plot devices follow a predictable arc: family poverty, a swiftly sweet romance, a shock accident, court hearing and, naturally, a grisly antagonist. It's with the last of these that the movie comes to life. We may have seen DeNiro spit nails countless times before, but his saltily intractable Master Chief is a terrific screen creation. Next to him, Cuba Gooding Jr really does shine as the endlessly persecuted Brashear. All-too brief cameos from Charlise Theron and Michael Rapaport lend sparkle too. But the film's message about how social attitudes toward race have changed is lost in a murky haze of Hollywoodisation. As one character declares, "some things just don't mix". --Paul Tonks