Insult to Mexico

Rating: 4/10 (30 May 2004)

Denzel Washington plays a man whose soul has been leached out of his body by the demands of his job (the back of his hand shows the scars of cigarette burns. Sustained only by the bottle, he travels to Mexico City to go to a friend and former comrade in arms (the always good Christopher Walken) to seek a job. Walken suggests going into the bodyguard business. There's an epidemic of kidnappings for cash in the country and protection is a growth industry. Washington's character, Creasy, hooks up with a wealthy Mexican business who has a darling daughter played by Dakota Fanning to protect.
Now Dakota does a fine job of acting but even with a blonde American mother she's about as Latin as her namesake.
When Dakota does eventually get kidnapped, Creasy goes Death Wish on the corrupt Mexican citizenry. You see little Pita (Fanning) has brought a bit of humanity back to Creasy so his logic tells him it's acceptable to get medieval on those he feels responsible.
The producers thanked Mexico City for being a special place. If I was the city, I wouldn't invite them back.