MAN ON FIRE
US, 2004, 146 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Marc Anthony, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Giannini, Rachel Ticotin, Mickey Rourke.
Directed by Tony Scott.
In a 2004 interview, Denzel Washington affirmed that, after so many nice-guy roles, he would like to do some villains. He won an Oscar for his nasty turn in Training Day. He was verging on the criminal in Out of Time. Here he gets to be a bit of both, at least a drunken disillusioned government assassin who has to take a heroic stand.
Director Tony Scott worked with him in Crimson Tide. Now he gives him the chance to emerge from the confined world of a submarine to go to a violence-ridden Mexico to become a bodyguard. He is helped to get the job by his long-time associate and pal, Christopher Walken. And the job is to guard an eight year old girl, especially going to and from school because there are gangs involved in abductions as a means of raising quick millions.
Should he take on the job because his charge is the precocious Dakota Fanning who gives the impression that she could well look after herself? In fact, she looks as if she could grow up to be a mixture of Margaret Thatcher and Hilary Clinton. On the other hand, she acts as if she had reached that stage already (and see her or don’t see her in Uptown Girls and The Cat in the Hat). Her parents are played by Marc Anthony and Australian Radha Mitchell.
It is not revealing anything significant in the plot to say that the little girl is abducted. After all, that is what we were expecting. However, the film is almost two and a half hours long and much of the first hour is spent in Denzel first not liking the little girl, not wanting to be her friend but then softening because of her neglectful father, helping her with her work, coaching her and definitely becoming her friend. He now has the motivation to go through the rest of the film tracking down a network of quite ruthless kidnappers (with a twist that those who know these films will expect). With his background as a killer and now off the bottle, he gives the kidnappers far worse a time than they were expecting. He is now on fire. And he has come to like the little girl so much that he is prepared to lay down his life for her.
Which means that this is quite a big-budget, long actioner with feelings that enables Denzel Washington to be both bad and good, his image intact. It is entertaining in its way but lacks some of the fire of its title.
1. An elaborate thriller, action adventure, the Latin American settings, the prevalence of abductions, heroism? Popular ingredients?
2. The Mexican settings, Mexico City, the affluence, the poor, crowded, squalid areas, the police precincts? The home of the abductors? The exteriors, the countryside? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The title, John Creasy, his past, the CIA operative, the assassin? His lack of fire, extinguished? His gradually coming alight again? A mission and a sense of purpose?
4. The portrait of Creasy, his assassination work, giving up, drinking? His lacking edge? His going to Rayburn, their friendship, Ray getting him the job? His unwillingness, the interview with Lisa, meeting with Pita? His taking on the job, his antagonism towards Pita, her asking questions, her getting out of the car, having to get her back? Taking her to school? The discussion with the nuns? His not wanting to be her friend? His losing her, finding her again, realisation of his responsibility? Their gradual discussions, coaching her, the swimming? The expectations of her parents? The homework and the bond? The distance from her father? The friendship with her mother, their discussions, the mother’s anxiety?
5. The portrait of the family, the wealthy father and his business deals, the mother and her tension, living in Mexico City, the prevalence of abductions? The interview with Creasy, discussions, trust?
6. The abduction, the motivation for millions of dollars? The abduction ring, the police chief, the role of the other police, shoot-outs? The various contacts and leads? The threats, the phone calls? The violence? The giving of the money, the procedures, the confrontations?
7. The long build-up to the relationship between Pita and Creasy? Audience sympathy towards Pita? Her being a precocious child? Her talents? Able to stand up for herself? Yet her loneliness, childlike, dependence on Creasy? Creasy’s friendship with Pita giving him a new lease of life?
8. Ray, his past life, settling down, family, friendship, the meetings with Creasy? The bonds?
9. Pita, her lifestyle, family, difficulties, at school, the teachers, the sisters? Audience sympathy for her, and for the abduction?
10. The background of the police, the chief in charge, Creasy and the confrontations? His arrest for murder? Charges, the treatment? His following through the leads? The contact with Jordan? His response to the routines? The effect on the parents? Their being distraught?
11. The detailed process of finding Pita, the money, his following the clues, the dangers, the families of the abductors, the names, the phone calls, betrayals?
12. The build-up to the final meeting, the revelation of the father’s involvement, his death?
13. The details of the final exchange, Creasy’s motivation, Lisa’s being present and desperate? Pita alive, the exchange on the bridge? The shooting, Creasy willing to give his life for Pita?
14. Themes of heroism, self-sacrifice, relationships, causes?
