Man on Fire
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Movie Reviews of Man on Fire
Movie Review: What an odd place to put a bomb!
Summary: 5 Stars
A movie that taps into the alter-ego of a perpetually liked actor, maybe even one of the most favorite actors in Hollywood, is always a tempting and dangerous proposition. Whereas some may go in opposition of their nice-guy façade for a sappy, genre-bridging attempt at drama (I'm talking to you Jim Carey), others, like Denzel Washington, have embraced the dark side of his repertoire, and taken on roles in which their characters are disturbed at best, and borderline maniacal at worst.
Man on Fire is part revenge, part crisis, a movie that plays upon humanity's protective nature and sympathies for children. John W. Creasy (Washington) is a former soldier whose expertise is in death-dealing; he is a firearms, demolitions, and battle expert who has many notches on his belt of death. Unfortunately, his propensity for alcohol has diminished his skills and marketability, and has led him to Mexico to work as a bargain-bin bodyguard for a wealthy family. His mission is to protect Pita (Dakota Fanning), the daughter of Samuel (Marc Anthony) and Lisa (Radha Mitchell). As Pita is quick to point out - and quote stats - there are a bunch of kidnappings in Mexico City, especially when there are unprotected children of prosperous foreign families running around.
Sure enough, Pita is kidnapped, and the Pandora's Box of Creasy's vengeance is opened. I can't really blame the abductors; Creasy didn't look imposing. However, his worn-down but determined visage belies the cauldron of vindictive sadism ready to explode on anyone and anything that gets in his way.
From there the direction of the movie uses a jerky, staccato filming style to convey the internal grief of the characters and the impending chaos that Creasy is about to unleash as he uncovers those responsible for the kidnapping. I especially like the interactions between Creasy and the Spanish-speaking criminals, as the translation is shown on-screen in a very unique manner, adding to the frantic feel that the window of opportunity to save Pita may be eroding. Along the way he receives help from a friendly journlist (Rachel Ticotin) hell-bent on removing the veil from the face of police corruption. He also gets assistance from a former soldier buddy (Chrisopher Walken), who refers to Creasy's skill as a soldier and a killer by stating that Creasy is an artist of death about to paint a masterpiece.
I love the film,, but had trouble feeling any remorse for Creasy. The film sets up for redemption, and plays upon the audience's pathos, but the effort (which works for Pita) just doesn't work well for Creasy - possibly a direct result of his passion for revenge and muder juxtaposed against his seemingly pious regret aimed at his carnage-filled past. Nonethelss, this movie is superb, and highly recommended.
Movie Review: More than a thriller
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a high impact film that puts the viewer through the emotional torment of what a parent would inevitably go through if their child was unexpectedly wrenched from their lives for ransom. In this story the situation is so corrupt that even the child's family (I won't say how) is in on the kidnapping plot (gone terribly wrong), and the insidious corruption of certain factions of the police and gov't officials is accurately portrayed. For these reasons, I do not view the intention of this film as nothing but an entertaining "thriller" for the viewer to just chew the cud about whether "the director should have done that," "the camera angle should have been this, etc." from the nice safe harbor of their living rooms and not give enough weight to the worthiness of the theme being tackled here and the reality of this emotional and financial nightmare going on in Mexico City and elsewhere - film in and film out...next!
This movie makes one contemplate the virtues of heroism in the face of extreme odds, and goes into great painstaking detail about how things work on the dark side when a child is taken. The long nature of the film and the way everything is so deliberately built and drawn out is an accurate portrayal of how heavy time can be when one feels powerless and is forced to wait and wait and wait for clues and information about a loved one. Creasy's actions end up empowering those who remain in the end.
Though I'm not one to advocate violence, here is a film where there is something satisfying to see the tables turned on the kidnappers, and Creasy was willing to put his life on the life to win back the life of the child he was hired to protect and grew to love. After all, how many films, good or bad, have dramatized the terrible kidnapping situation in Mexico City with people as committed to their role as Denzel Washington? And the film is entirely committed to bring the story back home to every parent and every child who luckily hasn't had to face this kind of an emotional wrench.
Right or wrong, individual heroism does exist in life when society breaks down beyond a certain point and the matter becomes personal. Violent yes, but every one in the film experiences the consequences of his or her actions, including Creasy, who reclaims himself spiritually and emotionally by coming back to life through his love of this child. Consequences define justice, and there's plenty of it here according to each person's own virtues, or lack of same. This is another great movie dramatization of the eternal theme: that one person _can_ make a difference. Ten stars.
Movie Review: A bullet always tells the truth...
Summary: 5 Stars
Whodathunk Denzel would emerge as a hardass "Punisher" in this recent action-packed thriller "Man on Fire"? But unlike "The Punisher" movie, "Man on Fire" turns out better than I expected it to be. In this movie, Denzel becomes a ruthless Frank Castle-like anti-hero. But his character makes The Punisher look like Robin. Yes, he becomes one ruthless mofo once the plot begins to unfold, severely punishing those that committed a heinous act upon himself and others around him. "Man on Fire" is a great, bloody, merciless, and emotional action flick that requires several viewings to really soak up the story.
As you all know from the previews (and then some), Denzel plays Creasy, an ex-CIA assassin hired by a family in Mexico City to protect a young girl named Pita (played by Dakota Fanning). Creasy has a drinking problem and mostly avoids socializing with the young girl. But it isn't until later on when he then begins to gradually becomes "friends" with the young girl. He becomes attached and treats her like the daughter he never had. But then things get cut short when a group of thugs shoot Creasy and take the young girl, leaving him to die.
But he manages to survive. Once he fully recovers, he shifts into Frank Castle-mode, punishing and killing those who were involved from simple low-life thugs, to corrupted officials, leading up to the movie's climatic and emotional ending.
This movie is nothing short of stunning and amazing. Denzel yet again pulls off another amazing performance as the troubled man who had little to live for. The young Dakota Fanning seems to have a promising career ahead of herself, making her one of the best child actors around since Haley Joel Osment. The chemistry between the two is there. Even though it took a while for it to develop between the characters, you then sense emotion that wasn't seen much between the girl and her parents. The other actors such as Marc Anthony and Christopher Walken do fine jobs, even with roles that aren't very big. The movie score kinda resembles what was heard on "Gladiator," but it nonetheless still sounds beautiful.
"Man on Fire" is one of the best action movies of recent times. It's the kind of action flick that keeps you thrilled until its climatic ending. It contains many twists amd turns that'll just boggle your mind. It contains many gory and action-packed scenes to keep you entertained. Tony Scott has made a movie that I dare call a masterpiece and one of the best films of 2004. Lastly, "Man on Fire" is everything "The Punisher" wasn't.
Movie Review: Denzel Washington's Finest Hour - So Far
Summary: 5 Stars
MAN ON FIRE is a brilliant film for many reasons: the script by Brian Helgeland is right up there with his 'Mystic River' and 'LA Confidential', the direction by Tony Scott delivers an almost unbearable exposition of violence and evil while equally metering that aspect with some of the finest moments of acting from his cast that they have ever given, the cinematography is color saturated and creatively shot and edited in a way that propels the force of the story in a Grand Guignol manner, and last - the acting by the principals (and the supporting roles) is first rate. Briefly, Creasy (Washington) is a burned out alcoholic victim of sensory devastation from being a special ops assassin for the US Intelligence and is called by his old comrade in arms Rayburn (Christopher Walken - in a dynamically rich characterization) to take on the role of bodyguard in Mexico City for a wealthy family's (Marc Anthony ad Radha Mitchell) precocious daughter Pita (Dakota Fanning, who continues to mature into a very fine actress). Mexico City is seeing kidnapping at an all time high and the 'police force' is so corrupt that everyone is in jeopardy. Yes, Pita is kidnapped and Creasy, despite severe bodily injury at the time he attempts to abort the kidnapping, recovers and spends his life 'on fire' with revenge, destined to kill everyone who had anything at all to do with what he feels is the death of Pita. The reason this story works so very well is the powerful, though slow, process of Creasy allowing himself to find spiritual redemption in the love of Pita, a child with more healing powers in her indomitable nature than a legion of nuns and priests. This relationship as created by Washington and Fanning through Scott's cautious eye is one of the more beautiful definitions of 'friendship' ever filmed.
The supporting cast is peppered by both luminaries and newcomers and each gives full throttle performances that never fall into excess: Giancarlo Giannini, Mickey Rourke, Rachel Ticotin, and the already mentioned Chistopher Walken, Marc Anthony and Radha Mitchell. Yes, this is a violent film: our world is a violent place and when money reigns over right/wrong situations, impossibly terrible things can happen. Yet, violent though this film is, I feel that violence and the way in which it is depicted and manipulated by the camera is justified to shake the audience into accepting facts we don't want to see. If Oscars have not been pre-decided, then Washington and Fanning are definitely candidates. A very fine film that leaves you drained.
Movie Review: STUNNING VISUAL MASTERPIECE - AWESOME MOVIE!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The TV SPOT for this movie was what had me waiting for it's official release... and of course the fact that Denzel Washington and Tony Scott were the driving force behind it.
Incredibly gut-wrenching, dark and frenetic film follows the story of Denzel Washington (Creasy) who has a "horrific" past that he's trying to move away from... becomes the "body-guard" of the daughter of a business man in Mexico City. The daughter (Pita) played by Dakota Fanning [who is going to be one of the greatest actresses the world has ever seen] gives the performance of her life. Unbelievably believeable!!! Enter a host of other actors : Marc Anthony, Mickey Rourke (looking good) and Christopher Walken (always eerie and dependable - one of those actors you don't know if you like, but can't stop watching).
The story is that of the relationship that bonds Creasy and Pita and how a man who has done so much killing ; finds redemption in protecting the innocent child. The bond almost becomes that of father and daughter because Pita's father is never around. Even the nickname she gives him, "Creasy Bear" indicates her love and dependability on him.
Of course, she is kidnapped and Creasy left for dead and when Creasy finds out "she's dead" he wages WAR on all involved.
In a Scene Washinghton asks Walken : "Do you think God'll forgive us for what we've done?" and Walken replies, "No!"
Once the revenge starts and all hell breaks loose, the answer is understood. The violence is excessive and gratuitous but essential in this tale...
Creasy stops at nothing in order to bring the guilty to justice and he has absoluetly no remorse whatsoever... "Forgiveness is between them and God. It's my job to arrange the meeting."
The movie has some awesome dialogue and quotes that are going to be remembered for years to come.
Pita's mother asks Creasy : "What are you going to do?" And he replies : "What I do best. I'm gonna kill 'em. Anyone that was involved. Anybody who profited from it. Anybody who opens their eyes at me."
At over 2 hours, the movie takes us on an incredible journey... with a few surprises and an ending that will have you in tears. But at the end of the film, Walken's statement about Creasy is proven 100% true : "He'll deliver more justice in a weekend than ten years of your courts and tribunals!" and we know it... we've just watched him do it.
THIS IS THE BEST ACTION/THRILLER OF 2004 and a MUST SEE / MUST OWN!!!