Advantages: On screen chemistry, innovative revenge, heart warming Disadvantages: Predictable
The best things in life are the simple things. Ok, not always, but Man on Fire is a shining example of how a paper thin and predictable plot can touch the depths of a grown man's heart, and make him wail like a newborn baby.
It's a testament to the chemistry between Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning that make this much more than your typical "Revenge movie", littered with cheesy moments. Washington plays Creasy, who, in his own words, is a "Drunk; a has-been" who feels he has nothing worth living for; he attempts to top himself one lonely night. Pita, however, the girl he must protect as the bodyguard, takes to Creasy immediately, and attempts to emotionally unwrap this "Big sad bear".
The first half of the film is dedicated to the developing bond between Creasy and Pita, in an attempt to justify the title "Man on Fire ...
Advantages: Great acting, good story and revenge served cold! Disadvantages: End scene
Man On Fire is one of the best films I have seen in the past 18 months and has successfully made its way onto my "Top 10 Films of all time". Although it probably didn't gross as much as it deserved through the cinema (in my opinion down to poor marketing) it is a must see DVD experience.
I was apprehensive that Denzel Washington would be playing the stereo-typical down trodden black man but his performance is more than that. He keeps you guessing throughout the film what has caused him to act in the manner he does; although never clearly explained it allows you to make your own assumptions.
I really enjoyed the way the film was shot (no pun intended) as it gave you a real feel for what certain areas of Mexico City must be like, the music throughout the film is also fantastic; fans of the Gladiator soundtrack will not be ...
Advantages: Good storyline, great acting, some great action scenes Disadvantages: very long - 2 and a half hrs, story dragged out at times.
Well what can I say about this film. It's definatly another revenge type film (like The Punisher), with Denzel Washington playing Creasy, a washed up, ex-counterterrorist agent who has taken a liking to the drink. He definatly plays the role well, being both threatening - like and charasmatic through all the scenes.
He's then assigned to Mexico City, to protect a little girl called Pita (Dakota Fanning) against Mexico's ever increasing kidnappers, and of course, just as he bonds with the child, she gets kidnapped in a cloud of bullets, most of which hit him, quite realistically too I must say.
And so through all this rage, Creasy really does become a 'Man on Fire', wiping out half of Mexico City with hardboiled vigilante fury. Anyone who helps with the kidnapping, just has to go! Very fast paced killings, quick and simple, in ...
