Man on Fire (2004)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers (WGA):

A.J. Quinnell (novel)
Brian Helgeland (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 April 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Revenge is a meal best served cold

Plot:

In Mexico City, a former assassin swears vengeance on those who committed an unspeakable act against the family he was hired to protect.

Plot Keywords:

Bodyguard | Mexico | Kidnapping | CIA | Alcoholic

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Creasy
Dakota Fanning	...	Pita
Marc Anthony	...	Samuel
Radha Mitchell	...	Lisa
Christopher Walken	...	Rayburn
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Manzano
Rachel Ticotin	...	Mariana
Jesús Ochoa	...	Fuentes
Mickey Rourke	...	Jordan
Angelina Peláez	...	Sister Anna
Gustavo Sánchez Parra	...	Daniel Sanchez
Gero Camilo	...	Aurelio Sanchez
Rosa María Hernández	...	Maria
Heriberto Del Castillo	...	Bruno
Mario Zaragoza	...	Jorge Ramirez

MPAA:

Rated R for language and strong violence.

Runtime:

146 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:R-18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Germany:16 | Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #40714) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta) | Mexico:B15 | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

Michael Bay was offered the chance to direct this movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the Victor Fuentes interrogation scene, Creasy sets his watch to 5:00, and an on-screen display of the time starts counting down. The time between the watch timer starting and the explosion is only 3:10, and even some of the on-screen countdown seconds are sped up.

Quotes:

[Jordan finishes a story of a recent kidnapping]
Samuel: So what happened?
Jordan: Family paid the ransom. And they sent the kid home after a couple of days... minus an ear, of course.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bounty Hunting on Acid: Tony Scott's Visual Style (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Razzle Dazzle

Retro-Exploitation Revenge Film Is Sensational

Mean-spirited, ugly, nasty retro-action thriller, about a bodyguard who is determined to find (and destroy!), the killers of the girl he was supposed to protect. This film is almost an anachronism in today's politically correct atmosphere. Director Scott doesn't have any desire to apologize for the inherently immorality behind the film's dramatic structure. Scott is either not aware or doesn't care for 30 years of social advances. I really don't think we will see a more violent film any time soon, so you better go and see this one while you can. Despite its relentless grimness, I think the movie is a powerful example of cinema at its most sinister, exploitative, and effective. Scott has a tough thing to sell, but I think I'm a buyer. The extraordinary technical aspects of this film are just too effective for me to ignore. Scott's directorial choices are simply astonishing, and he pulls a great performance out of Denzel Washington. Sensitive souls need to stay away from this one, but I recommended it to those viewers looking for a great, action-filled movie.