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Man on Fire poster

Man on Fire

year 2004decade 00sdirector Tony Scottgenre Actiongenre Crimegenre Dramagenre Thriller

146 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Denzel Washington John W. Creasy
Dakota Fanning Lupita Ramos
Christopher Walken Paul Rayburn
Giancarlo Giannini Miguel Manzano
Radha Mitchell Lisa Ramos
Marc Anthony Samuel Ramos
Rachel Ticotin Mariana
Mickey Rourke Jordan Kalfus
Jesus Ochoa Fuentes
Angelina Peláez Sister Anna
Gustavo Sánchez Parra Daniel Sanchez

Man on Fire | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanproducer Craig Horlbeck
Explore episodeClose episode

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bridge reunion; Fuentes; swimming practice

In the discussion (21)
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:23Read transcript
  • The first two Denzel/Walken conversations are grouped as a scene candidate.
  • A Yellowstone-style ongoing series featuring the pair is imagined.
  • Walken’s restrained eccentricity and half-speed line are admired.
  • The first car argument and Pita moving to the backseat show her defiance rather than passive hurt.
  • The first smile, girlfriend question, swimming training and meet are grouped as a ten-minute emotional revival; Denzel brings light back to Creasy's eyes.
  • The kidnapping is a scene favorite for its suspenseful staging.
  • The dog and reversed frame are admired in the kidnapping sequence.
  • The police arrival escalates the kidnapping sequence.
  • Surviving four gunshots prompts a plausibility objection.
  • Creasy’s vow to kill everyone involved is a scene candidate.
  • The driver’s finger-removal torture is a scene candidate.
  • The torture scenes are enumerated as fingers, rave and Fuentes.
  • Walken’s death-as-art monologue is admired.
  • Killing attackers and stealing a car is an enjoyable scene.
  • Blowing up Fuentes is an enjoyable scene.
  • Confronting Samuel and Lisa is an enjoyable scene.
  • Shooting off a hand is another enjoyed scene.
  • The bridge reunion and last fourteen minutes are the host's final scene choice.
  • Fuentes is a final scene choice, beginning with the rocket-launcher visit and arranging-the-meeting line.
  • The older couple’s calm response during the Fuentes sequence is amusing.
  • Swimming practice is the final scene choice; it could sustain hours of viewing. — Craig Horlbeck

What’s Aged the Best?

Mexico City; score; Marc Anthony; swimming; The Voice; La Hermandad; weapons; memory camera; golf simulator

In the discussion (19)
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:34Read transcript
  • Aged best: the alarming opening kidnapping statistics immediately hook a viewer; these are film graphics, not independently verified statistics.
  • The opening kidnapping card is compared with Sicario and Den of Thieves cards.
  • Mexico City is praised as an action setting, compared with Brazil in Fast Five and City of God.
  • The score discussion corrects the implication that Reznor composed all of it: Harry Gregson-Williams handles much of the score.
  • Marc Anthony makes the interview with Creasy believable.
  • Samuel being pushed by his wife and lawyer is praised.
  • Samuel initially seeming likable makes his betrayal more painful.
  • Fanning’s swimming is an aged-best choice.
  • Scott films the children’s meet with unusually intense sports coverage.
  • A niece’s swim meet reportedly inspired Scott to include one.
  • The Voice is admired as a kidnapping antagonist’s name.
  • A Dallas/book-depository kidnapping film is jokingly proposed.
  • La Hermandad is admired as an evil-organization name, while translating it as brotherhood makes the explanation redundant.
  • The weapons-shopping list and warning about war are admired.
  • Watching Denzel choose weapons remains enjoyable despite real-world gun concerns.
  • Giving Samuel one bullet and telling him to do the right thing is admired as a grim movie moment, not personal advice.
  • Camera work represents Creasy’s memory and threat perception.
  • Reconstructing the kidnapping by revisiting the site is compared with Blow Out.
  • Samuel's golf simulator is an admired prop, with its short physical ball travel explained.

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Death-date cards; underused official; hospital slowdown

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:42:31Read transcript
  • No weak link is initially offered.
  • The post-shooting slowdown is a possible weak link.
  • The underused official’s final killing feels unearned compared with the journalist’s work.
  • The unnecessary death-date cards are the strongest weak-link objection.
  • Deleted scenes reportedly explain some missing context.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Fanning’s unfulfilled megastar expectations; violence; accents; rave outfit

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:46Read transcript
  • Aged worst: the expectation that Fanning would become the world's biggest actress did not materialize, with difficulty sustaining childhood fame acknowledged.
  • Some violence is an aged-worst possibility, but it was already extreme at release.
  • Mitchell’s emerging Southern accent is criticized.
  • Denzel’s inconsistent, mumbled Spanish is criticized.
  • His reported three-month language training is treated skeptically.
  • Creasy's uncomfortable rave bandana is an aged-worst choice; the club and indestructible-avenger elements are seen as precedents for John Wick.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Favorite Denzel film; kidnapping as business plan (joke)

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:46:37Read transcript
  • Hottest take: this is the host's favorite Denzel film.
  • Samuel’s father’s gambling prompts jokes about following sports picks.
  • A deliberately provocative joke floats the kidnapping as a business plan.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Creasy/Rayburn prequel; prestige TV; adult-Pita sequel; Creasy survival or coaching

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:42Read transcript
  • A Woman on Fire sequel with adult Fanning taking Creasy's job is proposed, but her reported 5-foot 4 height prompts doubt about physical plausibility.
  • The death card unnecessarily closes off sequels.
  • A survival sequel could have Creasy escape a cellar after the car ride.
  • Creasy could instead become a renowned swimming coach.
  • A Creasy/Rayburn prequel covering 1980s–1990s missions is desired.
  • Prestige television could work with an excellent Pita actress sustaining extended bonding scenes.
  • A Terry Thorne sequel after Alice returns to her husband is imagined.
  • Walken and Caruso’s Dino could join that alternative version.
  • An alternating Scott/Bay imagined-remakes podcast is proposed.
  • Either Fuqua or Bay directing a new version interests a host.

Apex Mountain

Fanning (qualified); children’s swim meets; Man on Fire as kidnapping film (qualified); Mexico City action locale

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:55Read transcript
  • Denzel is rejected for Apex.
  • Tony Scott is rejected for Apex.
  • Walken is rejected for Apex.
  • Fanning receives an affirmative but qualified Apex argument for meeting Denzel at a generational-child-star moment.
  • Children's swim meets receive emphatic Apex, with an imagined swim documentary series.
  • Taken initially gets kidnapping-film Apex for sequels, commercial success and making Neeson an action star.
  • Man on Fire is the preferred kidnapping film personally, with Proof of Life close behind.
  • The discussion ends favoring Man on Fire, with Denzel’s importance tipping the comparison.
  • Ticotin's Apex goes to Total Recall.
  • Mexico City as action locale receives affirmative Apex.

Just One Oscar

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:31Read transcript
  • Denzel is the initial hypothetical Oscar choice.
  • Fanning is proposed for supporting actress instead.
  • The full discussed field is Blanchett for The Aviator, Linney for Kinsey, Okonedo for Hotel Rwanda, Portman for Closer and Madsen for Sideways.
  • Portman is the proposed replacement, with the final preference remaining Fanning.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Rave outfit; chain

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:12Read transcript
  • The varsity jacket is considered, but the full rave outfit is preferred; the rocket launcher is disallowed.
  • The chain is another choice.
  • A reported 430, 000-dollar Shawshank Bible auction prompts debate about memorabilia's practical enjoyment versus wearable film aviators; the chain remains the final choice.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Never arrange your child’s kidnapping; replace the disrespectful lawyer

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:43Read transcript
  • Never arrange one’s child’s kidnapping is the life lesson.
  • Replace a lawyer who crudely sexualizes one’s wife is another lesson.

Who Won the Movie?

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:18:07Read transcript
  • Winner discussion starts with an explicit Denzel choice, then rejects the assumption of Fanning and opens a case for Tony Scott.
  • Tony Scott is praised for hallucinatory style retaining a clear plot, but a final for-me-it-is-Denzel declaration follows; Denzel, Fanning, Scott and Walken form a praised four-person group, not four ballots.
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