Man on Fire (2004)
Denzel Washington stars as a government operative/soldier of fortune who has pretty much given up on life. In Mexico City, he reluctantly agrees to take a job to protect a child (Fanning) whose parents are threatened by a wave of kidnappings. He eventually becomes close to the child and their relationship reawakens and rekindles his spirit. When she is abducted, his fiery rage is unleashed on those he feels responsible, and he stops at nothing to save her. (20th Century Fox)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Tony Scott
Written By: Brian Helgeland, A.J. Quinnell
Starring: Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, Giancarlo Giannini, Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Rachel Ticotin, Marc Anthony
Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Crime, Action
Country: Mexico, Switzerland, UK, USA
Where to Stream
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Man on Fire belongs to 34 collections
1. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)
2. Vigilante / Revenge (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 14 stars)
3. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)
4. #1 at the US Box Office (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 10 stars)
5. Remake (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 9 stars)
6. Great Fights (collaborative: moderated by doctor7 - 6 stars)
7. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)
8. Piano Playing (collaborative - 3 stars)
9. African-American protagonist (collaborative: moderated by Moribunny - 3 stars)
10. Top 1000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 3 stars)
11. MovieMeter.nl Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 2 stars)
12. Better Remakes (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 2 stars)
13. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)
14. Alcoholism (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 1 star)
15. Action, Martial Arts & Explotions (collaborative: moderated by nahuelgl - 1 star)
16. Netflix instant LATAM (collaborative: moderated by Roman_Herbom - 1 star)
17. British director (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 1 star)
18. Coheed's Celluloid Pit (public: Coheed - 1 star)
19. 23 (collaborative: moderated by seccad)
20. Flawlessly choreographed fight films! (collaborative: moderated by TV+Film-Hub)
21. Psy/Goa Trance (collaborative: moderated by edkrak)
22. Dramas & Thrillers with Meaning (collaborative: moderated by TV+Film-Hub)
23. Harry Gregson-Williams (composer) (collaborative: moderated by nauru)
24. IMDB Ratings (collaborative: moderated by notyou)
25. Topic: kidnaping (collaborative: moderated by tipar)
26. NAACP Image Award Nominees and Winners (collaborative: moderated by Roman_Herbom)
27. Hostages (collaborative: moderated by PrestoBix)
28. My DVD Collection (public: LesterGroans)
29. To Watch (public: normalchaos)
30. Djross review describes the essence (public: djross)
31. My Movie Collection (public: elhenzo)
32. My Movie Collection (public: cyrax_36)
33. Tony Scott/Denzel Washington collaboration (public: djross)
34. My ratings (public: tpbradbury)
Browse the full list of collections
| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 7 | s_busby_uk | 61 11th |
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At no point did Denzel Washingotn set on fire. Disappointing.
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| 6 |  |
Leonardis | 81 38th |
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I thought it was pretty solid. Quite predictable, but it does a decent job building up its character(s) and the actual action and set pieces are great. Denzel Washington is as stellar as he usually is, and Fanning is pretty good as well. You may not enjoy this if you don't like Tony Scott's films, but I found it to be some really solid entertaining revenge stuff. Also, good pacing, especially for the length. Worth watching for the performance alone.
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| 5 |  |
doctor7 | 92 95th |
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Denzel Washington is brilliant playing a man full of despair turned into explosive but controlled rage. Walken is great and Dakota Fanning is absolutely amazing and probably the best actress of her age. Tony Scott's disorientating visual style of film making really appeals to me and the soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams compliments the film extremely. A great action movie, probably one of the best.
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| 4 |  |
terrymac | 74 68th |
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There was a 1987 version with Scott Glenn? Interesting. Anyway, this was good fun. Tony Scott's somewhat over-the-top style genuinely worked for me here, creating mood and helping with the flow of the film - I can see how it might not work for some, though. Denzel gives a nicely controlled performance as the anti-hero, and Fanning is almost unsettlingly accomplished in her role; the interplay between the two is very good. The violent climatic scenes are quite satisfying. Worth a look.
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| 3 |  |
JRC_85 | 79 64th |
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Dakota Fanning is perfection in kid form. This movie is where I really grew to love her, and I believe she has a long and prosperous career ahead of her.
Mr. Washington was great too.:-D
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| 2 |  |
Pickpocket | 8 82nd |
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Any movie that has a scene where a guy loads up on guns then goes out and fucks up a bunch of people is badass (see: Terminator 2, Commando, etc.) and this one is no exception. Denzel gives one of his best performances ever and has a really nice supporting cast. My only complaint is that sometimes the cinematography is awful and Tony Scott's style will become just too much to handle. Still, the movie is 2 1/2 hours and it feels like 1, which is a great thing. This movie is badass.
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| 2 |  |
Kojiless | 64 68th |
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This is what you get when you have a cool story, but an autistic savant with ADD is telling it.
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| 2 |  |
Ytadel | 5 57th |
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It's overlong, the script is outrageously hamfisted, and Tony Scott's hyperkinetic style is borderline-nonsensical, but it's hard not to get some of enjoyment out of badass-style Denzel.
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| 2 |  |
FrederikA | 70 67th |
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Scott in his right element of not giving a fuck about subtext, but doing all in his power to visually distract us from the fact. The straight-faced joy of vigilante-violence works better in this movie than any other (I can remember) in the genre.
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| 2 |  |
thegreyfox | 88 90th |
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Whilst the ending is a little contrived, Scott creates what I think is his best film, with "trade mark" choppy cinematography, creating an energy and intensity that has you on the edge of your seat throughout. The best (and necessary) component of this fim is the fantastic relationship between fanning and Washington during act 1; simply superb. The audio clarity is second to none...every word perfect, which makes act 2, as the action intensifies, easy to follow. Great film, great performances
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| 1 |  |
Boromir | 77 70th |
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The promising beginning is let down by a lack of plot in the middle, prefering to showcase thuggery and violence. However, the final part of the film manages to reel the viewer back and you forgive most of the dumbfoundedness - I actually like it! Must mention Dakota Fanning who is brilliant in this picture.
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| 1 |  |
Moribunny | 55 44th |
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A guilty pleasure. It surely is gritty and tense, and the cast is great, though I expected maybe a little bit more story-wise from the writer of Payback and the director of Enemy of the State.
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| 1 |  |
djross | 25 7th |
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Extraordinarily bloodthirsty revenge fantasy that is essentially a torture film done in the style of a music video. Displaced fathers are more virtuous than actual ones, but they must all be (self-)sacrificed; mothers are little more than symbols authorising the paternal combustion. Although the whole turgid narrative is exceedingly calculated, the why-go-on-living-in-this-godforsaken-world theme, while utterly conventional, does beg certain questions, given who was responsible for the film.
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| 1 |  |
Ayavaron | 100 97th |
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You would not expect this kind of greatness from an action film but the emotional connection that Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning build in ths movie makes it totally work Just an awesome movie.
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Alex Watkins | 4 70th |
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Not enough action films are unapologetically melodramatic.
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TedDedon | 61 28th |
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Man on Fire takes itself too seriously for me to take it seriously. A lot of the movie is just too dramatic for its own good.
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MJVmovieMan | 87 90th |
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Vastly underrated. Talk about dark and brutal. Top-notch direction, one of Denzel Washington's best performances, and the dialogue oh-so memorable. Dakota Fanning and Christopher Walken also have great work here, though this one runs a bit too long.
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| 1 |  |
martryn | 76 67th |
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I liked this gritty little Denzel Washington action film. I liked Dakota Fanning's character. The movie works better than most in this genre.
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frederic_g54 | 6 35th |
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(2nd viewing) Overdone and overwrought. The acting and writing fail to resonate with the story and nature of the film. And Fanning is supposed to be how old ? What kid talks like that ? Also, hearing somebody say 'pocket bread' every 2 seconds is pure cringe. The action and music are neat, but in the end, it's not a good film. Watch 'Léon: The Professional' instead.
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| 1 |  |
Mentaculus | 90 89th |
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I think this film is a modern existential masterpiece. If every heavily-processed, ultraviolent, grainy and dirty moment is being filtered through Creasy's mind, Man On Fire becomes a poignant search for redemption and truth in a world truly devoid of empathy. Or I could be reading way too much into it. Either way, I can always watch the film and get more out of it in each viewing, which should be the mark of a good film anyway.
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| 1 |  |
jacobkosh | 85 72nd |
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This is the sort of subject matter that actually fits Tony Scott's overwrought directing style. In its uncompromising nastiness, it hearkens back to the great revenge films of the 70s. Hard to watch at points but quite satisfying.
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| 1 |  |
paulofilmo | 37 3rd |
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Moments of well considered direction of Washington sadly eclipsed by a mountain of awful cliche. From IMDb: 'Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and Bruce Willis were offered the role of Creasy. They have all previously worked with director Tony Scott.'
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| 1 |  |
Luna6ix | 86 92nd |
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Some serious, and awesome revenge action, good acting, and great writing. I loved Denzel's character, he really brings something to that table that others could not.
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| 1 |  |
Timon88 | 8 1st |
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The ultra-noisy and visually hideous style make this unwatchable by civilized folk. It's the logical end-result of an entire generation brought up on violent video games. Mickey Rourke is the only one whose presence cuts through the--what to call it? Onslaught of stimuli--I certainly don't recognize this as movie-making. Alas, it's Denzel who is always onscreen. At least he's competent (yes, this could have been even worse!), though I have never understood all the accolades lavished upon him.
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| 1 |  |
OrionZulu | 0 1st |
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God how I hate this movie. This film alone contains almost everything that pisses me off in bad movies. Gimmicky direction, obnoxious actors (the intolerable Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington in yet another obnoxiously self-righteous role - he started that in Philadelphia and it was annoying already then), and rampant imperialism towards "inferior countries" (but writing "Our thanks to the amazing city of Mexico" in the end credits makes it all okay, doesn't it?)
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WWallce4prez | 78 66th |
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Denzel has his ups and downs. Man on Fire is a big up. Tony Scott captures the anti-hero well as he unloads against Mexico City. Say what you will about Scott's MTVish style of editing, but when it works it is awesome.
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omgfridge | 8 80th |
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Tony Scott and his directing style can get a little nauseating at times (Its like handy cam on crack). Not like it doesn't fit the film however. Denzel is simply dominant in this and everyone else is good too. Changes pace completely halfway through and was completely welcome.
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| 1 | johnshaft | 62 29th |
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A good first half that devolves into a series of scenes that involve Denzel Washington killing person after person.
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SirStuckey | 80 78th |
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This might be the only role for a child Dakota Fanning that she didn't annoy the hell out of me. That being said she completely takes a back seat to the badassitude of Denzel. There's something about 1 guy kicking a bunch of ass that can be so very appealing. The only problem with this movie is Tony Scott trying way too hard. He makes everything super stylized, and it's while it's not always bad stuff it's WAY overused and adds roughly 20 minutes of nothing to an already long movie.
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Okkervil | 84 89th |
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I'm not usually a Scott fan, but I like this movie a lot. His heavy handed cinematography works perfectly here, & only adds to the story and effect this movie has. For me this remains one of the best action/thrillers of the decade. Denzel and Fanning are excellent & are backed up by a solid support cast. I also like the way this is a movie of two halves. The change in style, pace and intensity in the film's second half is brutal. So few films mix blood & guns with a solid plot and characters.
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Judge Holden | 3 32nd |
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Another headache-inducing masterpiece by the great Tony Scott
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| 1 |  |
glumpy_99 | 66 27th |
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Unmistakably a Tony Scott film with all the good and bad that suggests - if you buy into his hyperactive visual style, this is an exceptionally well-acted domestic drama for about an hour, with Washington and (especially) Fanning bringing real gravitas to an unlikely burgeoning relationship. Becomes dull and redundant once the revenge plot kicks in, with a compromised third act sinking much of the dramatic weight. Still well worth watching as a reminder of how great Fanning was as a child star.
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csidle | 65 16th |
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The unusual visuals and editing are certainly the highlights of Man on Fire, and although they at points they feel as though they are trying too hard, I suspect that has more to do with the age of the film more than anything else. The plot of the film is rather heavy-handed and in general far too complicated - although the former half of the film draws the relationship between Washington and Fanning remarkably well. At 2½ hours, though, the film doesn't come near justifying its length.
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| 1 |  |
NothingsGood | 85 93rd |
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Tony Scott's adaptation of the popular Italian novel moves the story into modern Mexico. Man on Fire is a tale of two films - an emotional character driven drama led by a career making performance from Dakota Fanning and later a sleek and visually stunning action flick driven by typical Denzel Washington ferocity.
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Paxton | 67 50th |
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About as subtle as a grenade up a butt.
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| 1 |  |
The Pirate | 67 25th |
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Predictable, overly sappy in the first half, and possibly likely to cause seizures with its editing style, there isn't much that works especially well for this movie to stand out among revenge movies. Denzel is fine, Walken even manages a good turn in his role, and Fanning delivered a great performance, but the writing did the movie little favors, especially with that really tacked on ending. Decent motivation to watch, but ultimately a disappointing action thriller.
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hsncrspywl | 61 30th |
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Awkwardly pushes two films together - an intimate and morally ambiguous thriller about relationships and politics (which would have been good, and also justified the film's slow methodical pacing) and something like Death Wish on amphetamines. Rectal explosives. Denzel handles both sides of it really well - better than the film does on a whole overall. It's got some nice cinematography too, but it feels too disjointed, and the plot suffers because of the tonal shift too much.
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| 1 | jlee421 | 100 97th |
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Denzel is the man! This was one of the best movie I have ever seen and one of my favorites. Man On Fire has a beautiful story line of Redemption entwined with all the ass kick-in action you could want. Denzel has a confidence in himself that comes alive on the screen, making his characters larger than life, even when he is playing a character that is broken like Creasy. In fact, Denzel has that common thread in the way he plays all his characters confidence in their ability.
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Yiannos | 70 71st |
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M.O.F is anchored by Washington's strong performance as a man with a blood thirsty desire for revenge, and by Scott's formal inventiveness, which transforms a rote redemption story into a compelling cinematic experience. While his stylistic tics can be distracting--the symbolism is overwrought--they enhance the material more often than they ruin it, conveying the frenzied state of Creasy's psyche and the escalating tension of his predicament. With a better script this could have been special.
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Inkerictus | 65 36th |
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This one suffered for me on a second viewing, and especially after giving "Taken" another shot shortly beforehand. The latter's tissue-thin plot isn't an obstacle, where Man on Fire seems too concerned with garnishes and stalling the action in service of not being the stereotypical 'dumb action movie.' Trouble is, when I'm watching these... that's exactly what I'm looking for. Not a bad flick, but not quite as good as I'd first thought.
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| 1 | vv238 | 33 32nd |
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What starts as a boring kidnapping drama turns into a over-stylized and boring machismo revenge flick. This is only marginally better than the dozen or so other revenge stories featuring Denzel Washington.
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| Average Percentile 54.23% from 7393 Ratings |  |