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Man on Fire

Play trailer 2:24 Poster for Man on Fire R 2004 2h 25m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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Man on Fire

Man on Fire

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Man on Fire

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Movie Info

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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