Movie Review - Man On Fire (2004)
I absolutely love this film and have seen it a few times. Noticing it was on TV last night, I settled down to watch it and set the recorder going. The woman I live with needs to see it, I reckon.
DVD Dust Jacket
Headline stars - Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke
Director - The late, great, Tony Scott (brother of Ridley)
Running Length - 146 mins (It's so fast paced - it flies by!)
Synopsis
Set in modern Mexico City, the affluent Ramos family decide they need to hire a bodyguard for their cute daughter, Lupita, as kidnapping of small children is big business out there amongst the city's low-lifes. Calls are made to the right people that result in a John W Creasy (Denzel Washington) being driven down to the Ramos household to meet the prospective employers. Creasy is ex-CIA. A former assassin. But the nature of his work has stained his character, so much so that he now has a bit of a drink problem and a little self-doubt as to whether he's suitable.
On meeting the kid (a young Dakota Fanning), the young girl immediately takes a liking to her new protector. The job is his if he wants it. Which he happily does. So, he begins to ferry the child back and forth to school in the family limo but swiftly draws a line where forming a friendship with the child is concerned - to him it's strictly business and best kept that way. He knows the threats faced by the rich in that city and he also knows his limitations, particularly his fondness for alcohol. He doesn't want to jeopardize his position, nor does he want to endanger the child by ever letting his guard down. Naturally, this upsets the young girl.
With time, Creasy softens and the two form a bond. He even helps her succeed in her inter-school swimming tournament; with swimming being her favourite hobby, she's quite elated to finally go up the last level.
A minder and a mentor in one
And then everything is turned upside down.
She's kidnapped as she leaves a piano lesson.
Creasy shoots and kills four of the would-be kidnappers, two of whom are corrupt cops but is badly wounded, himself, in the process. When he finally recovers, his old skills kick in as he sets out to avenge her parents and find their daughter, assuming she's still alive, that is. Not all of his techniques would pass the Geneva Convention where torture is concerned.
The body count stacks up as Creasy closes in. He finds conspirators in all the wrong places. And deals with them.
Finally, he discovers the child is still alive and that the kidnappers, who have been more than kept informed of his rampant search for justice, are ready to once more offer terms on the child's release.
Extra-special terms that Creasy with his love for the girl finds the courage to accept.
Mother and daughter reunited but at what price?
Images / stills all from google images and presumably copyright 20th Century Fox - the movie's distributors
Would love to hear off anyone who loves the movie or, likewise, anyone swayed by this review to go rent it
Denzel is the man, even when on fire!
DENZEL ROCKS!!!
From a 53 yo white dude (real man, no doubt!) that is an compliment. I think he's my favorite actor, and at this moment, his rendition of a "cop on the take" (I forget the film) about skimming a little off the top ($$$) I gotta say I love this Real Man... Denzel Washington! <3
That would be training day, co-starring Ethan Hawke. Another, I love of his. He's too street-wise for his own good and gets caught out in the end. Ethan Hawke's not my favourite but I do like his performance in this.
Very intense movie. It FEELS like the exact way I would react if my daughter had ever been kidnapped. While I don't have the skills he displayed, I would feel absolutely no remorse doing those things... or would I later?
Feel remorse for ridding the streets of a little vermin (that happened to mess with your family)? Nah. They say you should never take the law into your own hands but sometimes the law can leave you more than a little unsatisfied in your pursuit of justice, can't it? :)
Great flick.
It is, isn't it. I think Denzel Washington must be around my top 5 favourite actors. Most of the films he's in, I tend to like. Very few turkeys from that guy, I find.
Thanks for the comment. :)
I love this movie!!
What is your favorite scene?
So many to choose from. When he starts taking to the girl, ie. training her to swim a little more competitively warms the heart. The inner sadist in me quite liked the justice he dealt out with tape, a knife and a cigarette lighter. Untouchable as a bent cop, he might have felt, Creasy showed him what reputations meant to him. Ie. not much, there and then.
Yours?
Awesome! Tou said almost all ny favorite scenes 😂
So, yah. 😆
This is your favorite movie of all times or do you haver another? 😃