An emotionally and visually textured film

Rating: 10/10 (21 September 2004)

Man on fire is engaging and entertaining. Director Tony Scott and his team tell a story of love, upheaval, redemption and retribution. It is a movie experience that is truth-filled and artistically-well-presented. I loved Scott's use of camera angles and camera speeds etc., and the way he weaves his unusual love story with the dark world of kidnappers and their victims.
I think that this is an experientially driven work dealing with corruption and fear and extreme human conditions and forces that breed industries of fear such as kidnapping or terrorism. These realities press up against us in our everyday world. At the same time Scott and the actors treated the subject I felt with truthfulness and heart. Many if not all of the main characters are based on real experiences - first the experiences related by A.J. Quinnell in his novel, and secondly those of the many persons interviewed in Mexico. This all came together sublimely to produce a very compelling film. Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning are honest and spontaneous. Christopher Walken is wonderfully real and likable. The whole cast gave performances that will be a pleasure to pull out and enjoy over and over. I also recommend viewing the directors comments (and possibly the producer  Lucas Foster, screen-writer - Brian Helgeland, and actor -Dakota Fanning's comments) in the special features section.