“Creasy’s art is death. He’s about to paint his masterpiece.”
Based on the novel of the same name, Man on Fire is a tale of life and revenge, as seen through the eyes of Creasy (Denzel Washington). Mexico City is in the midst of a rash of kidnappings, and Creasy is hired to protect Pita, a young girl. Initially suicidal and alcoholic, Creasy starts to rediscover the joys of life through Pita, and their friendship blooms – until it is shattered when she is kidnapped, and everything goes wrong. Now Creasy is out for revenge, and there’s no one who will stand in his way. Directed by Tony Scott, this film took its time for the first 90 minutes or so to build up the relationships with the characters. It was a bit sluggish at times, but when the plot started to twist, the last hour was riveting and exciting.
I have to hand it to Scott, and his editor Christian Wagner. There’s something about the way the film is cut together that makes it an art form. I mean, these are shots that are so quick, and deliberately shot in such a way to piece it all together, that it probably looked like crap in the dailies – but only Scott and Wagner knew what the end result would be. It’s really amazing stuff to watch. Check out the trailer for a taste!
Parts of the film were brutal. There were a few people who walked out, because it was so intense. It’s not a gory film or anything like that – it’s just a very powerful film. I found the music, by Harry Gregson-Williams, to be quite evocative as well, and hope that there will be a release of some kind. I wish it were about 30 minutes shorter, and the ending might not go over well with everyone, but Man on Fire is worth checking out.