It's a thrill to see Washington go on a rampage

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2014)

"Man on Fire" is one hell of a revenge movie, but the movie's brilliance lies in its well-drawn relationship between Denzel Washington's lone wolf and Dakota Fanning's cub. Their chemistry gives this movie its heart and soul way before any retributive blood is spilled. Washington ably slips into the role of drunk ex-CIA lost cause, and Fanning is just about the cutest damn thing in movies. And because of this, her kidnapping is genuinely harrowing . . . and his quest for payback is just brutal enough to make you cheer the man on. Tony Scott's frenetic editing always keeps you on edge, and the emotional depth in Helgeland's script is what really makes that ending a one-two punch.
This is a well-written movie, and these two characters will linger in your brain long after it's finished.
7/10