Man on Fire

Man on Fire
by Mister O

HUGE

When I heard about this movie, I was worried that Denzel was going soft after blowing our minds with his performance in Training Day.  No worries as the Irish waitresses say...as soon as I saw that Brian Helgeland's name was in the credits, all I could think was Payback.  I was not disappointed.  This is an intense, graphic revenge film, done right in every way.

Man on Fire is long.  Really long.  Like The Fellowship of the Ring, however, I just wanted more!  Helgeland doesn't give us too much to work with here...he keeps it simple and lets the actors did their jobs.  Denzel's Creasy character is a damaged alcoholic whose best friend Christopher Walken presents as completely well-adjusted in comparison.  Walken sets up this former government operative up as a bodyguard to a rich Mexican couple's daughter (Dakota Fanning, who proves her work in I Am Sam was no fluke...this kid can act!).  No cheese factor here...Creasy and his young charge develop a believable relationship before all hell breaks loose and she is kidnapped in one intense action scene.
 

The next half of the film makes Mel Gibson's Porter from Payback seem like the kind of guy who would turn the other cheek...Creasy turns into the real Punisher.  Helgeland takes what could be have been a revenge flick retread and breaks some new ground with great dialogue and some graphic scenes of "justice."  There's no reason for me to spoil any of the great lines or tactics Creasy uses...just sit back and enjoy the show.

Denzel proves that the best is yet to come.  I've been disappointed with a few of his action efforts in the past (The Siege, Virtuosity), but the power he puts into this film will stay with me for weeks.  Dakota Fanning is the cutest girl in show business, but more importantly, she's probably the best actor of her generation.  Mickey Rourke is a few pounds heavier than I remember and does his best Mickey Rourke, and Walken dials it down a notch but is mucho effective as the best friend.  While Marc Anthony is a bit of a weak link as the dad, Radha Mitchell is a revelation as the trophy wife with depth to her character.  This lady is a rising star.  Helgeland is an ace writer...he should can the directing and keep churning out great scripts.  Speaking of directing, Tony Scott does great work here.  His style is evident and never distracting.  He lends an often documentary feel to the film that makes the viewer feel like they are right in the middle of the corruption and horror that is Mexico City.  Acting, writing, directing...all HUGE!

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