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Man On Fire

Man on Fire (2004 film)

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Man On Fire

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Tony Scott
Produced by Lucas Foster
Arnon Milchan
Tony Scott
Written by Brian Helgeland
Based on the novel
Man on Fire  by
A.J. Quinnell
Starring Denzel Washington
Dakota Fanning
Christopher Walken
Giancarlo Giannini
Radha Mitchell
Marc Anthony
Rachel Ticotin
and Mickey Rourke
Music by Harry Gregson-Williams
Lisa Gerrard
Cinematography Paul Cameron
Editing by Christian Wagner
Studio Regency Enterprises
Scott Free Productions
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s)
  • April 23, 2004 (2004-04-23)
Running time 146 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $70 million
Box office $130,293,714

Man on Fire is a 2004 American thriller film, based on the 1980 novel of the same name by A. J. Quinnell. Another film based on the same novel was also filmed in 1987.

Man on Fire stars Denzel Washington as a despondent former CIA operative turned bodyguard. It also stars Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin and Mickey Rourke.

Contents

  • 1 Plot
  • 2 Cast
  • 3 Production
  • 4 Reception
  • 5 See also
  • 6 References
  • 7 External links

Plot

Because of the extremely high rate of kidnappings in Mexico City for ransom money, businessman Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony) hires former Marine Force Recon officer and CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) to guard his nine year-old daughter "Pita" (Dakota Fanning). At first Creasy distances himself socially from Pita, but the two develop a friendship.

After a piano lesson, Pita is abducted in public and Creasy is shot multiple times. The Ramos' agree to deliver a dead drop ransom of US$10 million per the instructions of "The Voice" (Roberto Sosa), the mastermind of the kidnapping ring. The drop, however, is ambushed by members of a Mexican crime syndicate and the money is stolen, resulting in The Voice notifying the Ramoses that Pita will not be returned.

Upon hearing the news, Creasy leaves the hospital before fully recovering from his wounds and vows to Pita's mother Lisa (Radha Mitchell) that he will kill everyone involved in her abduction. His friend of his CIA days, Paul Rayburn (Christopher Walken), who runs a security firm in Mexico, hands him weapons in his quest for revenge. With the help of Mariana Guerrero (Rachel Ticotin), a journalist, and Miguel Manzano (Giancarlo Giannini) of the AFI Creasy begins hunting down and killing those involved in Pita's abduction with great success. Each person leads him to the next by providing vital information. He eventually learns that Samuel's attorney, Jordan Kalfus (Mickey Rourke) stole $7.5 million before the ransom money was sent to the drop.

Samuel confesses to Creasy that he agreed to Kalfus' plan for Pita's kidnapping to pay off business debts with his share of the insurance money. He also confesses that when Pita was not returned, he killed Kalfus. Samuel then commits suicide.

After some digging, Mariana writes an article revealing The Voice's identity as Daniel Sánchez. Creasy shows up to Daniel's ex-wife's house and is shot by his brother Aurelio (Gero Camilo), who then tries unsuccessfully to escape. Creasy calls Daniel, who reveals that Pita is still alive and offers to free her if Creasy surrenders himself with Aurelio. Creasy agrees and he and Lisa meet at the exchange site where the kidnappers release Pita as Creasy releases Aurelio. Creasy then surrenders himself and is driven away by the kidnappers and succumbs to his wounds. Daniel Sánchez is killed by Miguel Manzano during a police raid later that same day.

Cast

  • Denzel Washington as John W. Creasy
  • Dakota Fanning as Lupita Martin Ramos, "Pita"
  • Marc Anthony as Samuel Ramos
  • Radha Mitchell as Lisa Martin Ramos
  • Christopher Walken as Paul Rayburn, an old friend of Creasy, from the CIA who runs a security firm in Mexico.
  • Giancarlo Giannini as Miguel Manzano, director of the AFI.
  • Rachel Ticotin as Mariana Garcia Guerrero, a reporter for the Diario Reforma.
  • Jesús Ochoa as Victor Fuentes
  • Mickey Rourke as Jordan Kalfus, Samuel Ramos' lawyer.
  • Angelina Peláez as Sister Anna
  • Roberto Sosa as Daniel Rosas Sanchez "The Voice"
  • Gero Camilo as Aurelio Rosas Sanchez
  • Mario Zaragoza as Jorge Ramirez

Production

Tony Scott, the director, tried to have a version of the film made in 1983, but since the film would have been his second after The Hunger, Paul Davies, a journal article author, theorized that movie producers would have believed that Scott lacked the experience to direct the film. At the time Italy was still a major center of kidnapping in the world. Scott said that Arnon Milchan, the producer of the 1987 film, asked Scott if he was still interested in producing a version of Man on Fire, as Milchan still owned the rights to the series.[1]

20th Century Fox wanted the film to be set in Italy.[1] An early draft of the film script was set in Naples.[2] Scott argued that if the setting would be Italy, then the film would have to be a period piece, since by the 2000s kidnappings became a rare occurrence in Italy.[1] Mexico City became the setting of the 2004 film because Mexico City had a high kidnapping rate,[3] and due to other reasons.[1] As a result, the character Rika Balletto was renamed to Lisa Martin Ramos, and Pinta Balletto was renamed to Lupita "Pita" Ramos. Ettore Balletto became Samuel Ramos. Robert De Niro was originally offered the role of Creasy.[2]

Reception

The film grossed $77,911,774 in North America and $52,381,940 in other territories, totaling $130,293,714 worldwide.[4] According to Rotten Tomatoes only 39% of reviews (from 158 samples) from critics were positive.[5] Paul Davies, a journal article author, said that the critical reception to Man on Fire in the United States was "somewhat less than kind" because critics did not like the vigilantism that Creasy uses. Davies argues that "most critics missed" Creasy not taking "sadistic pleasure" in the killings since he kills to get information to get to all of the people involved in the kidnapping of Pita Ramos, and does not like harming innocent parties.[6]

A. J. Quinnell had a favorable reception to this adaptation, mainly because the film used many of the book's lines.[3] Quinnell said that usually screenwriters "like to leave their mark on the product."[7] Quinnell added that even though he usually dislikes film adaptations of books, the writers "did a good job with Man On Fire and I loved the chemistry between Creasy and the girl" and "When I first heard Denzel was playing the part of Creasy I missed a couple of heartbeats but he played the part brilliantly. The film is violent and if the anger is not portrayed properly, the result can be awful."[7] The Times of Malta stated that the overall critical acclaim was positive.[3]

This film was adapted by Indian director Apoorva Lakhia for his 2005 film Ek Ajnabee.[8]

See also

Film portal
United States portal
Mexico portal
2000s portal
  • Man on Fire (1987 film)
  • Ek Ajnabee
  • 2004 in film
  • Cinema of the United States
  • List of American films of 2004


References

  1. ^ a b c d Davies, Paul. Ed: Nancy Billias. "Be not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good': The Theology of Evil in Man on Fire." Posted in Producing and Promoting Evil. Rodopi Publishers, 2010. 221. Retrieved on 30 March 2011. ISBN 90-420-2939-0, ISBN 978-90-420-2939-2.
  2. ^ a b "The Stax Report: Script Review of Man on Fire." IGN. May 8, 2003. Retrieved on January 18, 2011. "Creasy is hired to serve as a bodyguard for the Balletto family of Naples (although since the film is being shot in Mexico City perhaps the story's locale has been changed since this draft was written)." and "Rika Balletto (Mitchell), the beautiful wife of struggling but well-to-do businessman Ettore, convinces her aloof husband to hire protection for their precocious young daughter Pinta (Fanning)."
  3. ^ a b c "Social and Personal Obituaries." (Archive) Times of Malta. Thursday 14 July 2005. Retrieved on 28 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Man on Fire (2004)". Box Office Mojo. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved May 31, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Man on Fire (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved March 19, 2011. 
  6. ^ Davies, Paul. Ed: Nancy Billias. "Be not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good': The Theology of Evil in Man on Fire." Posted in Producing and Promoting Evil. Rodopi Publishers, 2010. 222. Retrieved on 30 March 2011. ISBN 90-420-2939-0, ISBN 978-90-420-2939-2.
  7. ^ a b Massa, Ariadne. "Gozo based author sees first book become a bestseller." The Times of Malta. Wednesday 10 November 2004. Retrieved on 28 March 2012.
  8. ^ Vijayan, Vipin. "Amitabh rocks in Ek Ajnabee." Rediff.com. Retrieved on March 27, 2012.

External links

  • Man on Fire official website (Archive)
  • Man on Fire at the Internet Movie Database
  • Man on Fire at the TCM Movie Database
  • Man on Fire at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Man on Fire at Box Office Mojo