Man On Fire
(2004)
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Remorseful former mercenary-turned-bodyguard Creasy (Denzel Washington) is hired by a wealthy family to protect their 10-year-old daughter, Pita (Dakota Fanning), from a rash of Mexico City kidnappings. But when the child he befriends is kidnapped while under his watch, Creasy - aided by his only true friend, Rayburn (Christopher Walken) - begins to systematically unleash vengeance on those responsible. |
In this lengthy but often gripping thriller, Denzel Washington excels as an alcoholic, burned-out former US government operative, who reluctantly takes a job in Mexico City as the bodyguard to a young girl (the endearing Dakota Fanning) from a wealthy family. Director Tony Scott hits the right notes early on when Fanning's charm begins to win over her emotionally closed-off protector. Once the girl is kidnapped, however, this becomes a drawn-out revenge thriller that degenerates into a showcase of imaginative ultra-violence that has Washington systematically hunting down the perpetrators. Though the action is well choreographed, Scott's excessive reliance on gimmicky visual touches is distracting, undermining what could have been a compelling story.