Review: Man On Fire Is Washington's Finest
- Jul 17, 2018
- 2 min read
“Creasy’s art is death. He’s about to paint his masterpiece”
Mexico City is in the midst of a kidnapping crime wave. In an effort to protect themselves and their families, those who can afford it hire private security. Enter John Creasy (Denzel Washington), ex-CIA hired to protect Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony), his wife Lisa (Radha Mitchell) and their daughter, Lupita (Dakota Fanning). He’s a man with a dark past, one that haunts him. Over time Creasy and Lupita bond, for her father is a busy man, and John is the only one around. Following her violent kidnapping, Creasy finds himself set on a single, bloody path. Revenge.
Denzel Washington has never been better than he is in Man On Fire. As a character he is broken, shattered, tormented and, above all else, real. Only his hatred of himself drives him on, and for a man like Creasy, that can only last so long. To say that Washington carries the film in its entirety would be wholly accurate. Then there’s Dakota Fanning who, despite being ten years old at the time of filming, does a fine job indeed. She may in fact be the only actor to have genuinely succeeded as a child, and the moments between her and Washington are excellent.
The whole thing is tied together by some top tier Tony Scott with what is, in my opinion, his best work. Everything from the editing to the colouring to the sound is used to heighten the intensity of the film. A scene wherein Creasy tortures a member of the kidnapping gang is not only one of the grimiest scenes around, but it’s also one that perfectly illustrates the way Scott handles his direction. It feels random and disorganised while being tightly focused. It burns its way into the mind, leaving behind flashes of violence and family, forming a bundle of powerful emotions that build over the course of the film.
Despite having a mind mindbogglingly low Rotten Tomatoes score, a paltry 39%, Man On Fire is often the best movie of the year, every year I watch it. The film is fast, mean and fulfilling, packed with great character drama and exciting action. Check it out.
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