The Name Says it All.

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2007)

Big name celebrities, and one cute little girl. What do you get when you mix some of the movie business' big names (Giancarlo Gianni, Chris Walken, and Denzel) in a movie with an up-and-coming star whose acting is that of an experienced veteran of Hollywood? One of the most electrifying movie experiences ever.
Somewhere along the line, Man on Fire made me want to kill the people who captured Pita not because they made me angry, but because Denzel Washington delivers a brutal performance that would make Kevin Costner cry until he made his OWN water-world. In this film, young Pita Ramos is kidnapped by members of a gang only known as "La Hermandad" or "The Brotherhood", and John Creasy is the only man who can stop them and get the little girl back, and he intends to rip Mexico City apart to do so.
Denzel Washington plays John W. Creasy, a washed-up FBI agent who's soul purpose in life is to drink himself to death. His friend Rayburn, played by Christopher Walken, manages to get Creasy a job as a bodyguard for the Ramos family in Mexico City, Mexico. He is ordered to protect Pita Ramos, the daughter of Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony) who is played by Dakota Fanning. Creasy begins to form a bond he long tried to avoid with Pita. Soon, they become almost best friends. One day, Creasy takes Pita to her piano lessons and a firefight between off-duty police officers and the kidnappers ensues, leaving Creasy mortally wounded. Pita, who attempts to revive Creasy from his unconscious state, is then kidnapped by La Hermandad. Creasy is taken to a hospital some time later by police, where he is automatically charged with murder of the off-duty policemen.
Meanwhile, Samuel Ramos and Lisa Ramos (played by Radha Mitchell) speak with the kidnappers and set up a ransom pickup. At the drop, a nephew of the kidnapper is killed during an ambush by unknown assailants, leaving the man only known as The Voice, no choice but to kill Pita as promised if Samuel's agreement to him was voided. Creasy is told by Rayburn that Pita has been killed by The Voice, and his crusade begins.
All in all, great movie. The photography artists went a little over the top with some of the effects but it adds to the gritty, kind of dying feel to the movie. It's almost as if Creasy's feelings are projecting onto the film. The action is indeed the best part of the film, it made me cheer when he "questioned" his victims of La Hermandad. The end was very touching, it made ME cry and I don't cry that easy. If you don't have it, get it. PERIOD.