MAN ON FIRE
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell...
Director: Tony Scott
Writer: Brian Helgeland (screenplay), A.J. Quinnell (Novel)
Review Date: 05/11/04
Written By: Clarkey
Rating: 7/10
THE PLOT:
A wave of kidnappings has swept through Mexico, feeding a growing sense of panic among its wealthier citizens, especially parents. In one six-day period, there were twenty-four abductions, leading many to hire bodyguards for their children. Into this world enters John Creasy, a burned-out ex-CIA operative/assassin, who has given up on life. Creasy's friend Rayburn brings him to Mexico City to be a bodyguard to nine-year-old Pita Ramos, daughter of industrialist Samuel Ramos and his wife Lisa. Creasy is not interested in being a bodyguard, especially to a youngster, but for lack of something better to do, he accepts the assignment. Creasy barely tolerates the precocious child and her pestering questions about him and his life. But slowly, she chips away at his seemingly impenetrable exterior, his defenses drop, and he opens up to her. Creasy's new-found purpose in life is shattered when Pita is kidnapped. Despite being mortally wounded during the kidnapping, he vows to kill anyone involved in or profiting from the kidnapping. And no one can stop him.
THE REVIEW:
Revenge theme movies seemed to be on the rise recently, starting with Tarrantio’s amazing Kill Bill, the disappointing Punisher and now Tony Scott’s Man on Fire. This was the one that surprised me quite a bit. It is a very stylish and cool looking movie.
Denzel Washington once again does it. You think that it’s Creasy and not Denzel on scene and that is a rarity nowadays. I swear this man cannot be in a bad movie, which is another rarity nowadays. Christopher the man Walken steps away from being in bad movies (Kangaroo Jack, Envy, etc.) and is back to his normal self. And the 10-year-old rising star, Dakota Fanning is good as Pita. Radha Mitchell plays Pita’s mom with great passion and looks smokin. One major problem that I had with the movie was Marc Anthony playing Pita’s dad. He should stick with singing. He stuck out of a great cast really bad and it was obvious that he didn’t belong. But for the most part, the cast was great.
Tony Scott is an awesome direction and most of his movies are personal favs of mine, (Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Spy Game, etc.). He does it again with Man on Fire. Scott makes this movie look awesome with unique shots and the way that the subtitles are put on the screen is original. The violence in this movie is ranked up there with Bride’s fight with the Crazy 88’s. It is a violent movie, but action fans you have to wait till the last half of the movie before you see any.
Brian Helgeland wrote a good script based on the A.J. Quinnell. However, I was not a fan of the ending. It was disappointing in comparison to the action filled second half of the movie. Also, the running time, which was a 150 minutes, was a little too long. But besides these problems, it was a very enjoyable movie that surprised me that I like so much.
Director: Tony Scott
Writer: Brian Helgeland (screenplay), A.J. Quinnell (Novel)
Review Date: 05/11/04
Written By: Clarkey
Rating: 7/10
THE PLOT:
A wave of kidnappings has swept through Mexico, feeding a growing sense of panic among its wealthier citizens, especially parents. In one six-day period, there were twenty-four abductions, leading many to hire bodyguards for their children. Into this world enters John Creasy, a burned-out ex-CIA operative/assassin, who has given up on life. Creasy's friend Rayburn brings him to Mexico City to be a bodyguard to nine-year-old Pita Ramos, daughter of industrialist Samuel Ramos and his wife Lisa. Creasy is not interested in being a bodyguard, especially to a youngster, but for lack of something better to do, he accepts the assignment. Creasy barely tolerates the precocious child and her pestering questions about him and his life. But slowly, she chips away at his seemingly impenetrable exterior, his defenses drop, and he opens up to her. Creasy's new-found purpose in life is shattered when Pita is kidnapped. Despite being mortally wounded during the kidnapping, he vows to kill anyone involved in or profiting from the kidnapping. And no one can stop him.
THE REVIEW:
Revenge theme movies seemed to be on the rise recently, starting with Tarrantio’s amazing Kill Bill, the disappointing Punisher and now Tony Scott’s Man on Fire. This was the one that surprised me quite a bit. It is a very stylish and cool looking movie.
Denzel Washington once again does it. You think that it’s Creasy and not Denzel on scene and that is a rarity nowadays. I swear this man cannot be in a bad movie, which is another rarity nowadays. Christopher the man Walken steps away from being in bad movies (Kangaroo Jack, Envy, etc.) and is back to his normal self. And the 10-year-old rising star, Dakota Fanning is good as Pita. Radha Mitchell plays Pita’s mom with great passion and looks smokin. One major problem that I had with the movie was Marc Anthony playing Pita’s dad. He should stick with singing. He stuck out of a great cast really bad and it was obvious that he didn’t belong. But for the most part, the cast was great.
Tony Scott is an awesome direction and most of his movies are personal favs of mine, (Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Spy Game, etc.). He does it again with Man on Fire. Scott makes this movie look awesome with unique shots and the way that the subtitles are put on the screen is original. The violence in this movie is ranked up there with Bride’s fight with the Crazy 88’s. It is a violent movie, but action fans you have to wait till the last half of the movie before you see any.
Brian Helgeland wrote a good script based on the A.J. Quinnell. However, I was not a fan of the ending. It was disappointing in comparison to the action filled second half of the movie. Also, the running time, which was a 150 minutes, was a little too long. But besides these problems, it was a very enjoyable movie that surprised me that I like so much.
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