More than a Revenge Movie

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2005)

Man on Fire is an amazing movie. It was very well cast- Dakota Fanning is charming without being fake, Christopher Walken definitely bears the same scars as Creasy while taking the pain in a different way than Denzel excellently portrays. Denzel himself was perfect for the role, an excellent springboard from the "bad guy" role in Training Day. He still plays a dark figure, but one with a sense of bearing and even seems to return to faith (in a critical scene involving alcohol and the Bible). While the beginning seems long and drawn out, it is critical and even enjoyable in the light of the rest of the movie. The second half, while it seems like an intense revenge movie, seems to "redeem" itself in the end. Here's the spoiler, kids, Creasy's sacrifice at the end of the movie shows that the point is not to murder everyone who gets in your way, but is to be willing to sacrifice oneself if necessary. That is love. That is what makes this movie stand out from the rest of the "revenge movies" which seem to be the craze of the day.