IMHO this is the best revenge movie ever made.
I mean when Creasy goes after these bastards, one by one - cutting of fingers & blowing of dynamite inside of the kidnappers ass...
How awesome is that???
I still hear that little girl (Pita) scream: "Creeeeeasy".
Really too bad this GREAT director/producer (Tony Scott) died today!
Is it just me or is every Denzel Washington movie just great ___
Years without seeing her, I still like how Dakota Fanning restores joy to Denzel and how he enters psiko-killer mode when she is kidnapped. Some images and music remind me of his brother Ridley Scott's Gladiator
This is still one of my favorites of the genre. I think it's exceptionally well done and takes you on a great ride! You won't regret watching this!
I'd really like to give this a 7, but the editing/camera work is "?!?!?!", the plot is "???", the ending is "?...?".
2 good Americans against 100 million bad Mexican.
I'm not a huge fan of the choppy editing but it makes sense for the movie. The story is pretty straight forward but the second half has some great moments. Denzel is fantastic.
I had forgotten how great this movie was. This is just all the he-man macho bullshit turned up to 11. It'll make grown men cry. Probably Tony Scott's best film and one of Denzel Washingtons.
Movie brings a tear to the eye evertime I watch it.
Didn't see the original, but, there's no way it could have been better. Great movie.
This is a bland action/thriller that could’ve been alright if Tony Scott just let Denzel do his thing. It’d still be way too long for how little this has to offer in terms of refreshing ideas (very predictable story and characters), but there are enough elements in place that could make for a passable film. Once the film gets going in the second half it doesn’t hold back and it leads to some entertaining moments. Unfortunately it’s also plagued by some of the tackiest editing I’ve ever seen in a film. I’ll defend the editing in the Bourne series any day, which was clearly working from a similar mindset as Scott, but this just turns that style up all the way. I can’t get on board with all the ugly colours, lens flares, flashing lights and incomprehensible action scenes. The use of cheap sound effects to punctuate every dramatic beat is also very tasteless. It’s like watching a mature Michael Bay who’s left the pornographic sensibilities behind but still doesn’t comprehend why his films suck.
4/10
"Well, you know what they say. A bullet always tells the truth."
I always enjoy myself some Denzel Washington directed by Tony Scott. To me that is just a killer combination. Here we get a long intro with us seeing the bonding between Dakota Fanning and Mr. Washington and loads of swimming. We get it, we are setting up the action later and once Denzel Washington leaves the hospital to get Pita (Dakota Fanning) back it is all 80's like action. Loads of blood, blown of fingers, explosives and the great sacrifice at the end.
Man on Fire is a fun Tony Scott movie with a stellar Denzel in the lead. Alongside a great cast with Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken and Dakota Fanning just to name a few. It would've been a more fun one if Tony Scott trimmed some of the fat of it and made the running time around 110 minutes instead of the 140 we got now.
But in the end it still a great one.
Lisa: What are you gonna do?
Creasy: 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.
:laughing: I love it!! Great movie!!
Saw this opening day in 2004, and almost exactly 19 years later, it still holds up. Great flick.
Watching John Creasy in Man On Fire:
He’s literally me.
The successful duo of Dakota and Denzel together with the fast-paced action is a well-spent 2.5 hours.
7.5 rounded up, because I thoroughly enjoyed it
I wasn't really sold on most of the attempts at hinting at to establish a backstory in the beginning, and some of the hard boiled lines are a bit pulpy, and aren't delivered with enough weight (probably intentional since Scott probably knew how on the nose they were), but the main heft of the drama works, and the acting is generally very good, with special nods to Dakota Fanning, who could out-act Anthony Hopkins on a good day in the nineties, but also Marc Anthony, who outshone Denzel IMHO. Christopher Walken was a delight to watch. Denzel makes the role, but I also think he's the weakest part of the Creasy/Rayburn piece of the plot. The development of the relationship between Creasy and Fanning's 'Pita' were the highlight of the portion of the film that wasn't dedicated to violent poetic retribution.
The lighting must have been painstakingly realized, and especially the closeups on manual actions (the mini hi-fi etc.), and the light scattering off of skin in the darker scenes were some amazing examples of photography, and I'm guessing that was thanks to the work of the DOP. The Ramos' house was gorgeous, and the picture showed it. I want it, as is, and I'm not even Catholic.
Solid revenge flick.
Maybe it's because I'm used to movies being around an hour long or so but I found this movie to be much longer than it should've been. It felt slow. If it wasn't as long as it was I'm sure it wouldn't have felt as slow. Decent movie, nevertheless. Nothing too great, nothing too bad.
The problem with most revenge films is that due to the poor build-up and bad developed characters, there's hardly any emotional involvement with the main characters, which leaves a lot hanging when it comes to the final check on the revenge list, and therefore doesn't give the satisfaction it's supposed to. However, in Man of Fire, they take the time to build up the story, they take the time to let the characters and their relationship get known.
Creasy is a depressed, alcoholic ex-soldier who asks his best friend Rayburn whether God will ever forgive them for their numerous sins, to which his friend replies: Not Us. The same friend persuades Creasy to take on a job as a bodyguard for a young girl. Creasy reluctantly does this, but after a while he starts to enjoy it because the girl, Pita, opens his heart that has been closed for years and shows him that life can be beautiful too. The natural chemistry between Washington and Fanning is a pleasure to watch, and portrayed in a captivating way. With this, director Tony Scott creates a bond between the characters and the viewer, at least, if it allows that.
As soon as the plot kicks off and the revenge journey starts, the film drastically changes directions. Creasey becomes a human Terminator that doesn't care about anything or anyone; with a whole arsenal of weapons he goes hunting for everyone who has had something to do with the abduction. Fortunaly Washington gives this revenge machine dignity and an appearance as not many could, with which he actually takes the whole movie to a higher level. This especially applies to the second half of the film, in the first half Fanning is the girl that needs to be protected, and absolutely steals the show. She knows how to indulge and movie, and with her charm she gives the film a warmth that otherwise wouldn't have been, and definitely fuels the latter half. As soon as her character disappeares, the film immediately gets heavier. Christopher Walken also has a (too small) supporting role in which he delivers a tough speech about what Washington's character entails.
The montage and editing of the movie is absolutely terrible and all over the place, which is nothing short but disturbing. Althought the regularly chaotic and busy image changes in the second part of the movie can be called appropriate, but definitely ruins the better (and most other) moments of the first half. A more relaxed style would've definitely been welcome. But it seems Tony Scott couldn't make a film in that time period without some flashy and unnecessary editing and camera techniques, which is a pity, especially in the action scenes. These are so unclear and confusing most of the times, making the scenes have less impact than they should've had.
The film sticks the landing with a solid ending, with an expected twist and a poor execution. It's slightly disappointing, but on the other hand realistic. Furthermore the film is a strongly developed action film with the necessary drama, in which Scott paid good attention to the main characters who are more emotionally charged than usual.
Although there are some incongruities in the script, the film is an exciting ride from start to finish, despite the horrible editing. It's a shame , it would've been a very solid movie if that was handled differently. It would've been a great action film, unfortunaly, that's not what happened and clearly knocks the movie down a peg, it's a decent action film with highly skilled actors.
Thanks to, among other things, cleverl dialogues and perhaps the toughest and best portrayed revenge characters from this niche genre. Definitely one of the better revenger films.
7.4/10
Scott's signature schizophrenic editing gets a bit jarring at times and the the whole thing runs a little too long, but otherwise this is an excellent remake. One with great performances from Denzel and Dakota. The chemistry between them is strong, but develops realistically. And the righteous, revenge story is quite satisfying.
Shout by EduardoBlockedParent2021-12-17T08:45:22Z
Indeed it was a Master Piece of Dead !
As a Mexican, watching this movie breaks my heart so deeply because this is absolutely real... it's 2021 and this is still happening here in México, every day, every hour, every minute !