Director:
Tony Scott

Cast:
Denzel Washington
Dakata Fanning
Christopher Walken
Giancarlo Gianni

Official URL:

http://www.manonfiremovie.com

Country: USA
Rating: PG-13
Studio Name: Columbia Pictures
Running Time: 2 hr 26 mins
Release Date: April 23, 2004

Critics's Rating:
(2 1/2 Reels) 

April 23, 2004

By Veronica Mixon

Tony Scott’s revenge film, Man on Fire, is oddly satisfying despite the climate of unrelenting war overseas and the mindless domestic violence in our country. Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington continues to carve out a ‘character actor niche’ with angry, troubled men who are quick to solve their problems with deadly action. As the battle weary former mercenary, Creasy who becomes a body guard to a little girl in Mexico City at a time when there have been a rash of kidnappings perpetrated on the wealthy elite, Washington projects a boozy, sullenness rather than the usual optimistic ambition that many of his characters seem to have. Creasy is a burnt-out nomad who is searching for inspiration and he finds it in a lovely little girl. Washington is perfectly matched with a wise veteran like Christopher Walken who can make an impression with only a few scenes as well as his young co-star Dakata Fanning, who charms the audience before being abducted despite Creasy’s best efforts.

Man on Fire has a sultry timelessness and one believes that the intense danger has always existed South of the border. The film doesn’t exactly sell Mexico City as a place to visit or live. Petty criminals and corrupt cops reap cash rewards but live in seedy, crowded filthy environs. The sleek contemporary look comes from Scott’s casting of popular Latino singer/actor Marc Anthony as a wealthy aristocrat married to Radha Mitchell and craggy Mickey Rourke as his wheeler-dealer lawyer. These characters try to maintain old-world charm of Mexican wealth amid an explosive political climate and murky business practices.

But Tony Scott’s focus is on the deadly force that an American trained killer can unleash on the organized ‘kidnap’ industry in Mexico. It’s fascinating to watch Creasy delve, intrude and rip apart this corrupt underworld. Creasy’s friend (Walken) explains the enormity of the destruction that is about to be unleashed to a hapless Mexican cop (Giancarlo Gianni) by saying death can be an art and “Creasy’s about to paint his masterpiece.” Of course, this is grand American posturing over a foreign enemy or entity. To all those who challenge America’s top dog position, well, be warned! We still know how to kill, too. Nevertheless, this escapist genre is popular among moviegoers and Denzel Washington fans, who were surprised and delighted with Training Day, will love this film. He does thrill you as he cleverly out-smart the bad guys.

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