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

Color:

Color

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:

Dakota Fanning's first day of shooting was for the scene where Creasy takes Pita to school for the first day.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Creasy has fired the RPG into the Jeep in the motorcade and then first starts to drive off with Fuentes, the back-up lights of Fuentes's car are on, and then a moment later they are off once the car is out of the fire (this is probably because the car was filmed driving backwards into the fire, and then the film was run backwards to create the stunt).

Quotes:

Pita: That's "Bird" Emilio forgot to take him with when he left.
Creasy: Who's Emilio?
Pita: My last bodyguard. He drove me to school in the morning and picked me up in the afternoon
Creasy: I'm here for you?
Pita: In between you can take Mum shopping and to lunch. Does that sound all right, Mr. Creasy?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Vengeance Is Mine: Reinventing 'Man on Fire' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gavin Sees Val and Kids

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.