PlatinumRead
Just so...so bad
Clarissa Mora
The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.
Juana
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Michael Ledo
FORGIVENESS IS BETWEEN THEM AND GOD...
...IT IS MY JOB TO ARRANGE THE MEETING.Somehow when Denzel Washington says this line it is not as convincing as maybe Van Diesel. Washington and Dakota Fanning did their expected wonderful job, but the ending was all wrong for the movie.The movie starts out slow. Washington plays a Jack Daniels guzzling former CIA agent who reads the Bible. His partner, Christopher Walken, lands him a job guarding Dakota Fanning (Pita). Early in the movie we find out every rich person in Mexico hires a body guard, then gets kidnapping insurance from AIG for 10 million dollars, which the kidnappers know about. This sets you up for the expected plot twists which were not terrific.Denzel doesn't want to get friendly with Dakota, but ends up becoming her friend, father, swimming coach, chauffeur, etc. etc. Dakota Fanning gets kidnapped (box information). Denzel uses his CIA "walking tall" methods to go after the bad guys, which includes half of Mexico. The substandard script, slow beginning, and questionable ending took away from the production.The ending should have included a dramatic escape by Fanning involving her ability to swim as the movie centered so much on this aspect of her life.
jasperan
Altruism is a gift that only a few have. This film is a clear example of a good man, "a sheep that got lost". The performances by Dakota Fanning, Denzel Washington and Radha Mitchell were incredible, in my opinion. Christopher Walken didn't appear as much as I had expected; it's a shame he wanted to help on everything but kill. I would've liked to see him angry for once.
stinkerxD
Man on Fire starts with a 5 minute in your face edit of a man being kidnapped and the steps taken to get him released. I feel it was supposed to be set up for the inevitable scene where are main characters would have to do the same. But this scene actually alleviates the tension from the film because it practically shows the basic structure for the entire movies finale. This sequence as well gives you a taste of the very quick cutting edits that City of God popularized around the time this film was made, but the execution of these edits in Man on Fire just tend to be annoying and makes it difficult at times to fully grasp what's happening as flashback sequences and the scenes taking place in the present are shot, colored, and edited in the exact same way as these flashbacks.
The characters in Man on Fire is what makes this movie watchable, and I would even go as far to say that the first hour of this film was very well done. As you watch this young girl and her body guard interact as a business relationship that eventually grows into a friendship (as cliche and predictable as it might be) is actually quite entertaining to watch. It's only once the inevitable kidnapping and revenge story began that this film began to go downhill.
So in conclusion, Man on Fire is a watchable film that has a strong first act but a weak second. And although its in your face editing style becomes obnoxious at times, and the story is rather predicatable and cliche, the characters make it worth a viewing.
Sachin Chauhan
This movie will make your emotions to go on fire. Denzel Washington has delivered great character of a private bodyguard who is former US assassin. He was shown as drunken spoiled man in the beginning, then comes his soft nature with the Dakota Fanning.where he train her swimming competition. and lastly after the kidnap he show his bad-ass assassin character who takes revenge for the death of the girl.Dakota Fanning plays the role of girl Lupita Ramos who is charming, smart and friendly. Her love instill the feeling of love and care in Denzel Washington character.Story wise movie is fabulous which will hold you attention through out the span And will keep your sentiments with the character as the movie move on. You might not be satisfied with the ending but you will have to accept the fact that, fate of the character is appropriate for the ending.
