Heavy Handed Direction Ad-Nauseum

Rating: Null/10 (28 November 2004)

Few people can refute Tony Scott's previous box office successes ("Top Gun", "Crimson Tide"). Armed with such clout, he surely can saunter in to a pre-production meeting and get virtually any tool he needs to craft his latest "masterpiece". "Man on Fire" is evidence of such power being abused. Like a child who gets everything he wants, Scott's film turns out just plain rotten. Unfortunately, the audiences who have to endure this latest display of of cinematic spoil are left with the dubious duty of shelling out their hard-earned money to try to follow the scent of this tripe.
And tripe it is.
While the plot (re-hashed from a previous version of the movie) is compelling, Scott ruins his version with his "look ma, no hands" jerky camera work, flashbacks, multiple-exposures, frame-dropping, color timing on an acid trip, simulated under/over-cranking etc. etc. etc. His extreme heavy-handed direction not only detracts from the possibility of audiences enjoying the movie, but disables the average viewer from even digesting enough information to follow major scenes.
Denzel Washington delivers a compelling performance as man out for revenge, what parts can be seen between the directorial smoke and mirrors. But while "Crimson Tide" explores the mental limits of a man with the power to launch Polaris missiles, in "Man on Fire", Washington spends most of the movie spreading his hate in any direction he can aim a shotgun.
Thus, he ends up being is a hood ornament on Scott's freight train as it plummets off a cliff.
"Man on Fire"? If that man is Tony Scott, pass me the marshmallows.