hollow man on fire

Rating: 5/10 (18 February 2005)

Tony Scott's loose remake of the 1987 revenge thriller shifts the action from Italy to Mexico and hits all the right marks  crisp cinematography, concussive action  but no amount of graphic payback dished out by good-guy-playing-damaged-goods Denzel Washington can overcome the feeling that it's often little more than a polished big studio product.
Washington's solid as alcoholic ex-CIA agent Creasy, who takes a job as bodyguard to the cute daughter (the eerily impressive Dakota Fanning) of a wealthy family only to see her snatched for ransom.
Accepting her death as a foregone conclusion, he starts blazing away with such flourishes as exploding suppositories.
The hectic pace, gleeful bloodletting and sheer clout of the excellent support cast (Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke) carry it slickly along but when the dust settles it all starts to look a bit hollow.