The best things in life are the simple things. Ok, not always, but Man on Fire is a shining example of how a paper thin and predictable plot can touch the depths of a grown man's heart, and make him wail like a newborn baby.
It's a testament to the chemistry between Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning that make this much more than your typical "Revenge movie", littered with cheesy moments. Washington plays Creasy, who, in his own words, is a "Drunk; a has-been" who feels he has nothing worth living for; he attempts to top himself one lonely night. Pita, however, the girl he must protect as the bodyguard, takes to Creasy immediately, and attempts to emotionally unwrap this "Big sad bear".
The first half of the film is dedicated to the developing bond between Creasy and Pita, in an attempt to justify the title "Man on Fire" when the inevitability of Pita's kidnapping does eventually come around. In the second half, Creasy goes on a violent rampage through the depths of Mexico City, searching for the gang responsible for taking away his new found friend. As his buddy Rayburn (Christopher Walken) puts it: "Creasey's art is death, and he's about to paint his masterpiece." Bad guys be warned.
Tony Scott's hyperkinetic visual style is worth noting as it is just as compelling as Creasy's motives for revenge; quotations flash up on the screen to further add to the tension, and make for the best scenes when the protagonist takes on his enemies. In particular, there's a scene where Creasy stuffs C4 in the anus of the gang's head leader, and then proceeds to interview him. There's a vicious beauty about the whole thing, and on the terms of an emotionally-driven revenge movie it is definitely admirable, in a sadistic kind of way.
Even if this film wasn't a remake you'd still think that it was, given the plot, which has been recycled countless time before. Nevertheless, the film is hugely enjoyable, particularly for the terrific performances of its A-List actors. It won't win any awards in terms of originality, but it'll tug at your heart strings 'til you start to think that vengeance really is a beautiful thing (if you didn't think that already, of course).
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Action/Adventure - Director: Peter Jackson - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Andy Serkis
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
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Style trumps substance inMan on Fire, a slick, brooding reunion ofCrimson Tidestar Denzel ... more
Washington and director Tony Scott. The ominous, crime-ridden setting is Mexico City, where a dour, alcoholic warrior with a mysterious Black Ops past (Washington...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Style trumps substance inMan on Fire, a slick, brooding reunion ofCrimson Tidestar Denzel ... more
Washington and director Tony Scott. The ominous, crime-ridden setting is Mexico City, where a dour, alcoholic warrior with a mysterious Black Ops past (Washington...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Style trumps substance inMan on Fire, a slick, brooding reunion ofCrimson Tidestar Denzel ... more
Washington and director Tony Scott. The ominous, crime-ridden setting is Mexico City, where a dour, alcoholic warrior with a mysterious Black Ops past (Washington...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Creasy, a former CIA agent, now a cynical recluse, accepts a position as bodyguard for the ... more
young daughter of one of Europe's most wealthy families. When the child is kidnapped by violent terrorists Creasy is thrown into a ferocious world of treachery a...
Denzel Washington stars as a government operative/soldier of fortune who has pretty much ... more
given up on life. In Mexico City he reluctantly agrees to take a job to protect a child whose parents are threatened by a wave of kidnappings. He eventually becom...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Great revenge action film that throws you into the heart of the story Disadvantages: Over long, poor dialogue in parts, can't decide what sort of film it wants to be
bullybwoy 04.05.2005 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Man On Fire (DVD)
Advantages: great, fun movie, excellent C.G effects and loads of extras!!!!! Disadvantages: a little tame on the gore and violence factor compared to the previous films!
![Man On Fire [2004] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78485899.jpg "Man On Fire [2004] [DVD]")
![Man On Fire (Two Disc Special Edition) [DVD] [2004]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78485885.jpg "Man On Fire (Two Disc Special Edition) [DVD] [2004]")
Feb 10th, 2009
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