“The Unforgettable ‘Fire’”
by Scott Mantz

“Man on Fire”
Denzel Washington,
Dakota Fanning
Directed by Tony Scott

It's payback time! Denzel Washington is Dakota Fanning's only hope in "Man on Fire"

Revenge may be a dish that’s best served cold, but judging by Hollywood standards, it’s also served in generous proportions. That would certainly explain the recent onslaught of vengeance-themed vigilante movies like “Walking Tall,” “The Punisher” and of course, both volumes of “Kill Bill.”

Now Denzel Washington steps up to the plate with his explosive new thriller “Man on Fire,” and the result is a scorching blend of “The Professional,” “Proof of Life” and “The Limey.” Not only does the 2-time Oscar-winner burn up the screen with a no-holds-barred, tour-de-force performance, but director Tony Scott also proves that he is still a filmmaking force to be reckoned with. Thanks to stylish direction, plenty of action, an intense pace and great dialogue, “Man on Fire” turns out to be a blazing cinematic surprise.

Suicidal ex-CIA assassin John Creasy (Denzel Washington) is given a new lease on life when he is asked to bodyguard Pita Ramos (Dakota Fanning), the nine-year-old daughter of a wealthy industrialist in Mexico City. Creasy is initially reluctant to take on the assignment, but the more he gets to know the precocious child, the more he develops a touching paternal bond with her. Just when their special friendship is solidified, Pita is kidnapped for ransom and presumed dead after a botched rescue attempt. Now Creasy is out for blood, and nothing can stop him from tracking down those responsible for taking the young soul who taught him how to live again.

If Tony Scott made this movie 20 years ago (as he intended to before getting sidetracked with 1986’s “Top Gun”), it’s highly unlikely that it would have turned out half as good as it did. That’s because Scott draws on his best of his previous films for a unique blend where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. The movie’s dark, gritty, color-saturated style brings to mind Scott’s under-rated 2001 potboiler “Spy Game,” while the hyper-kinetic MTV-style direction recalls 1998’s Will Smith thriller “Enemy of the State.” Scott also returns to the themes (and the country) he explored in 1990’s disappointing Kevin Costner drama “Revenge,” but at least he fares much better this time around.

Scott throws in everything but the kitchen sink for what turns out to be a very busy and thoroughly engrossing drama, but there are times where he could have exercised some restraint. After being emotionally burned out at the beginning of the movie, Creasy’s sudden embracement of the young Ramos feels forced and contrived. In addition, Scott uses distracting subtitles whether he needs them or not, and his frenetic directing style periodically crosses the line into self-indulgence. The movie is also longer than it should be (it runs close to 2 1/2 hours), but in the end, it’s such an intense nail-biter that the time flies by.

Where Scott is obviously well suited to direct the film given his experience, the same can be said about Brian Helgeland’s screenplay. “Man on Fire” comes just 6 months after his Oscar-nominated adaptation of “Mystic River,” which also explored the theme of having a paternal figure avenge the death of a child. By the time Creasy embarks on his mission, he takes on a brutal, unapologetic approach that recalls Mel Gibson’s character in “Payback,” which Helgeland wrote and directed.

If “Man on Fire” proves anything, it’s that Denzel Washington still has the pick of the litter and has never been better. After winning an Oscar for his deliciously over-the-top corrupt cop in 2001’s “Training Day,” and after his rock solid turn in last year’s “Out of Time” (which should have been a huge box office hit), Washington gives one of the best performances of his career in “Man on Fire.” He runs a gamut of emotions (ranging from burned-out drunk to paternal father figure to sadistic avenging angel), and the vocal inflection of his one-liners elevates his dialogue to classic status.

The supporting cast is also in fine form, especially where Dakota Fanning is concerned. Just as she did in 2001’s “I Am Sam,” the 10-year-old actress proves that she is wise far beyond her years and more than holds her own against Washington. The beautiful Radha Mitchell makes good on her promise from 1998’s “High Art” with a strong performance as Fanning’s sexy socialite mother, while singing sensation Marc Anthony makes his mark as an actor as Fanning’s stressed-out father. And of course, the prolific Christopher Walken (who seems to be in every movie these days) is rock solid as Washington’s former partner in crime.

“Man on Fire” is an unusually strong early spring film that will no doubt catch moviegoers by surprise, and it should. Not only is it up there with “Kill Bill Vol. 2” as the best of the revenge-themed lot, but given the dark, brutal and unforgettable measures that Washington takes in carrying out his revenge, it turns out to be the movie that “The Punisher” should have been. It also goes to show you that while revenge may be a dish that’s best served cold, this is one dish that’s sure to hit the cinematic spot.

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