Movie Review: Man on Fire

Stars (Out of 10): 8.5

One Word Summary: Grim

Movie Details: Man on Fire Drama | Crime | Suspense/Thriller | Action MPAA RATING R for language and strong violence 110 minutes | Color USA WRITTEN BY Brian Helgeland A.J. Quinnell (novel)   DIRECTED BY Tony Scott THEATRICAL RELEASE Apr 23, 2004   Relevant Sites: IMDB Official Movie Website Watch The Movie Trailers Shopping: Shop Amazon for items related to this movie. Shop for movie posters at AllPosters

"Man on Fire" Review:

          Man on Fire is about John Creasy, a former CIA assassin hired to protect the daughter of a wealthy Mexican businessman. Creasy is haunted by what he's done throughout his life, and although still religious, he's given up on his own soul. Pita, the girl he is to protect, rekindles his spirit and teaches him how to smile again. When Pita is kidnapped, and subsequently killed, Creasy goes on a brutal streak of revenge to kill anyone involved in her murder, and anyone who profited from it.

          This movie is no joke; it's a serious, compelling and especially grim movie that leaves no doubt that the sun won't come out tomorrow. When I left the theatre, the audience filed out in silence, both moved, and scared by what they'd just seen. There was no buzz, no applause, no chatter, just shock. The whole movie is emotional, but the ending is incredibly sad, and well done. There aren't many movies this honest and explicitly gory that aren't unnecessarily violent, but Man on Fire is both.

          Movie theatres are packed with revenge movies; Kill Bill Vol. 2, The Punisher, Walking Tall. The difference is that Man on Fire has heart, and is more of an emotional journey than a revenge one. Denzel Washington stands head and feet above the other movies' costars Uma Thurman, Thomas Jayne, and the Rock; and as an overall film, Man on Fire stands head and feet above its competition.

          Denzel Washington is one of the best actors in Hollywood; he brings both the dark, violent side of Creasy and his dry humor and love for Pita to life. It's Denzel's co-star though that impressed me the most. Dakota Fanning steals the film with her cute, toothless smile and onscreen charisma. There is simply no other child actor in Hollywood, and I don't know if there ever has been, that is able to carry their own in such a dramatic film. Just look at some of her co-stars in past movies: Sean Penn, Charlize Theron, Kevin Bacon, Denzel Washington, and (in her next film) Robert De Niro. Joe Critic gave her the best supporting actress award for her role in I Am Sam and it won't be long before she takes home an Oscar as well.

          Tony Scott is no newbie to directing movies, but his job in Man on Fire is amateurish. He flings the camera around in circles like he's swinging for a piñata and his choice of flashy Technicolor proves he has no idea that this isn't an artsy film. The flash editing and overdone subtitles are distracting and absolutely irrelevant. That being said, Scott still knows how to tell a story, and even with his plethora of editing and directing toys, he doesn't let the goal of the film too far out of sight.

The Bottom Line is that Man on Fire is dark, grim, and fantastic. Great acting, a well written screenplay, and overall good story telling make Man on Fire a hell of a movie.