Review of Man on Fire (1987) by Aron R — 26 Dec 2011
Never did I think I would agree with the critical consensus on RT so precisely, but it's true. The film starts off perfectly, introducing conflict and powerfully portraid characters. It's after shit hits the fan in the narrative that things start to go haywire. Denzel Washington acts out his role perfectly, but his character immediately goes too over the top to the point where the viewer almost feels sympathetic for the bad guys. His character becomes flawed to the point where we feel that he must be stopped, however just his cause is. That's the only saving grace that keeps the viewer motivated for him to find his closure: for justice to ultimately be served. It's a good story that's told very powerfully, but Creasy's actions make viewing the film very difficult at points. It does all, however, lead to a very satisfying conclusion, featuring music as powerful as the score from Gladiator.
Overall: starts out great, takes a bad turn, but sticks its landing at the conclusion.
This review of Man on Fire (1987) was written by Aron R on 26 Dec 2011.
Man on Fire has generally received positive reviews.
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