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Man on Fire 2004 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Tony Scott
R, 146 min. (language, strong violence) |
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Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Marc Anthony, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Giannini, Rachel Ticotin, Jesús Ochoa, Mickey Rourke
Producers: Arnon Milchan, Tony Scott, Lucas Foster
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland
Cinematography: Paul Cameron
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Released: 4.23.04 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Man on Fire is a peculiar film. It presents itself in the light of a 21 Grams, but in actuality is more along the lines
of The Punisher.
So director Tony Scott's (Spy Game) film ends up somewhere in the middle, garnering just enough goodwill from a strong first half to
compensate for a generic second half. The revenge genre has become crowded lately, with similar fare such as Kill Bill: Volume 2
and Walking Tall (not to mention the aforementioned The Punisher),
but Man on Fire stands out because of an excess of style over substance. Not to say there isn't anything substantial about
the film, but Scott's increasing infatuation with cinematic showmanship - jump cuts, flashy editing, dialogue-enforced text, etc. -
nearly drowns the picture in a sea of excess. However, with the help of two powerful performances, the film remains
gripping throughout a protracted finish.
Those performances belong to the always compelling Denzel Washington and child phenom Dakota Fanning, who play
off each other with such ease that we could see them as father and daughter without exception. Because the film
emphasizes its characters over its by-the-numbers action sequences, the drama and tension that is built lends a
somber reflection to the proceedings. Washington plays the flawed hero to perfection, while Fanning (I Am Sam) gives the most
measured, complete effort of her young career with a character that provides a sense of purpose to a man who has
lost hope for forgiveness for his past sins. The remnants of their relationship remain strong despite the absence of Fanning
for most of the picture, a sure sign that Man on Fire will have the resonance to succeed.
Creasy (Washington) arrives in Mexico City an empty man, beaten and running from his troubled past work in the Special
Forces. His friend, Rayburn (Christopher Walken), has words of encouragement and a job for him as a bodyguard for a
Mexican businessman's, Samuel (Marc Anthony), daughter, Pita (Fanning). Creasy finds himself suddenly attracted to
the idea of fatherhood via Pita's incessant need for companionship since her mother, Lisa (Radha Mitchell), is rarely
at home. After a bond develops, it's not long before Pita has been kidnapped and Creasy left for dead on the streets.
After a lengthy recovery, Creasy returns to find Pita's ransom exchange botched, and the assumption that she is dead.
He vows to track down the culprits and eliminate every one of them, without compassion or hesitation.
There are supporting roles by Mickey Rourke (as Samuel's attorney and advisor), Rachel Ticotin (as a journalist following the
neverending kidnappings in Mexico), and Giancarlo Giannini (an ex-Interpol officer who lends assistance to the case). They
provide added depth to a film that needs peripheral characters to round out Scott's rougher edges. The screenplay is by
Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential), and though it relies too heavily on convenient action pieces in the film's latter
stages, it's still able to muster the satisfaction that comes with a resolution that doesn't ignore reality.
I was reminded of other avenging father-figure films (such as The Searchers) as the film unfolded, but Man on Fire
is one of the more violent, brutal examples of the sub-genre. Scott is unflinching in his portrayal of the torturous payback
that Creasy inflicts upon those responsible for the crime, and as a result the film comes close to losing its focus. Of course,
there's also the small problem of a vigilante loose on the streets without much in the way of resistance from the local
authorities (especially since Creasy shoots a few off-duty police officers during the kidnapping), but Scott is able to sidestep
these discrepencies without too much difficulty. Indeed, Man on Fire overcomes many of its legitimate problems
by default; its zany cinematic excess distracts the viewer long enough to move on to the next plot point.
The film's emotional appeal is palpable, and Scott is wise to take care with the film's setup, spending extra time with
Creasy and Pita's developing bond, which doesn't come about overnight. Thus during the bloody retribution the viewer
is able to lean upon the relationship that was cruelly severed, thereby earning a measure of satisfaction for the
unconscienable crimes against the innocent. Man on Fire is tied to their bond, so once it has been successfully
implemented, the rest of film flows with ease and purpose. Washington, much like his character in his Oscar-winning
Training Day performance, exudes a central edict that propels his every action, except that here we're rooting for him
to have the final say.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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