Movie Review: Man on Fire

Starring:
Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Marc Anthony, Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Mickey Rourke

Director:
Tony Scott (Top Gun, Enemy of the State)

MPAA Rating:
R for language and strong violence.

Release Date:
April 2004

Synopsis:
John Creasy is a former federal agent whose outlook on life is anything but sunny. While in Mexico City, he halfheartedly takes a job protecting the child of a couple whose lives have been threatened. The little girl begins to grow on Creasy, and the two form a bond that revives his trampled soul. But when she's kidnapped, Creasy's fury is unstoppable as he desperately seeks revenge on her kidnappers.

My Two Cents:
John Creasy (Denzel Washington) is sent to a rich Mexican household to serve as a bodyguard to the family’s nine-year old daughter because Mexico City’s kidnapping rate has gone through the roof. About 24 people are kidnapped every day, even in plain sunlight. You know that at some point Pita (Dakota Fanning) will get kidnapped and Creasy will have to save her. It takes so long for this to happen that you kind of forget about it and can completely enjoy the chemistry between the bodyguard and the girl. Both Washington and Fanning are great actors and their performances are a treat to watch.

When the girl is finally kidnapped the movie goes from drama to action, but not exactly the action you might be expecting. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you saw The Crow or The Punisher you’ll have a pretty good idea of what kind of action I’m talking about. Although I didn’t mind too much, it does take away part of the believability of Denzel’s character. A one man army fighting an entire gang of kidnappers and corrupt police in a foreign country is just silly.



Christopher Walken plays Creasy’s old friend who gets him the bodyguard job and later provides the firepower needed to stop the kidnappers. Puerto Rican salsa sensation Marc Anthony, better known as that skinny guy who married J-Lo, plays Pita’s father and Silent Hill’s Radha Mitchell plays her mother.

The movie’s art style is nice, and the acting is as good as you’d expect from Washington, Fanning and Walken. Although never boring, not even in the long time it takes for Creasy to fall for Pita’s charm, the movie would have benefited from a bit more editing, like 20 minutes or so. After Creasy takes take of a crapload of kidnappers and you think the movie will end, even more kidnappers start showing up and the movie goes on for another 45 minutes. It’s a bit tiring. But don’t let this put you off. If revenge films are to your liking or you just want to see Denzel Washing ton kicking ass right to the bittersweet ending then go right ahead and watch Man on Fire. You might end up cancelling your vacation to Mexico, though.

Score: