Man on Fire

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2:24

Man on Fire

R

2004

2h 25m

Crime

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

166 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In a Mexico City wracked by a recent wave of kidnappings, ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as a bodyguard for 9-year-old Lupita (Dakota Fanning), the daughter of wealthy businessman Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony). Just as Creasy begins to develop a fondness for the young girl, a bloodthirsty gunman (Jesús Ochoa) kidnaps her. Now, Creasy must pick off a succession of corrupt cops and criminals to reach his ultimate object of vengeance.

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Critics Consensus

Man on Fire's solid action and top-shelf cast are undone by a relentlessly grim story that gets harder to take the longer it goes on.

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Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

Washington has chosen wisely, and he hasn't had to wait long.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 17, 2019

Full Review

Nathan Rabin

AV Club

Scott's latest exercise in assaultive excess nevertheless lingers for two and a half hours, like a drunken houseguest who won't leave.

Apr 17, 2019

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Extremely violent; not for kids.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 25, 2010

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

At almost two-and-a-half hours the film really needs more meat on its bones.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 24, 2022

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

This is a merely average film that had much more potential.

Rated: 2.0/4.0

Sep 15, 2020

Full Review

Fernando Lopez

La Nación (Argentina)

A film that ends up being tedious due to its excessive duration, annoying by its formal lack of control. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 17, 2019

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Christian T

One of the best revenge movies ever made, ignore the critics, granted it's nothing new to the gene but entertainment wise there's nothing better, and considering it's loosely based on a true story that happened in the 1950's in Sicily when a mob bosses child was kidnapped and his bodyguard killed over 50 people single handedly before being killed himself Man on fire is not that far fetched

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/21/25

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Real O

39% is why you ABSOLUTELY NEVER trust critics reviews. ALWAYS listen to the people.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/25

Full Review

Patrick H

39% is an absolute insult to this incredible film. It's grim, sure, but it's about the criminal underworld of a Mexican kidnapping and ransom ring. Read the room. The film builds perfectly, there's a twist you DO NOT see coming, and everything about the ending is absolute perfection, the location, the score, the performances, everything, better than pretty much any film I can name. If you asked me for my list of 5 films you must see, this would be one of them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

Full Review

Gary S

This is the movie that highlights how out of touch the critics are. A near perfect story of regret, redemption, revenge and sacrifice. It is long though.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/14/25

Full Review

Jules H

One of my favourite movies of all-time... what are critics thinking???

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/11/25

Full Review

Tom S

An overly long exercise in excessive violence that will nonetheless please fans of the now-genre that is Denzel Washington revenge movies. Big explosions are here in abundance, as unfortunately are nauseating 'edgy' camera effects that have not aged well.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

Full Review

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Tony Scott

Director

Denzel Washington

Creasy

Dakota Fanning

Pita

Christopher Walken

Rayburn

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Radha Mitchell

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Synopsis

In a Mexico City wracked by a recent wave of kidnappings, ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as a bodyguard for 9-year-old Lupita (Dakota Fanning), the daughter of wealthy businessman Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony). Just as Creasy begins to develop a fondness for the young girl, a bloodthirsty gunman (Jesús Ochoa) kidnaps her. Now, Creasy must pick off a succession of corrupt cops and criminals to reach his ultimate object of vengeance.

Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Arnon Milchan, Lucas Foster, Tony Scott
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Scott Free Productions, Fox 2000 Pictures, New Regency Pictures, Regency Enterprises
Rating: R (Strong Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 21, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $77.9M
Runtime: 2h 25m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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