Movie Reviews
Tony Scott’s “Man on Fire” begins, surges through, and ends in graphic motion. It’s always kinetic – even in its quiet moments. And it’s always superb. Always. What we have here is a present from Scott. He’s taking a break from his stylish, over-the-top use of effects that he used in “Spy Game” and putting them to good use. Some may take this all as a show-off stunt that was predestined to fall under, so they jazzed it up with some cool effects to keep our interest.
Well, that’s not the case here. Rest assured that style is not the basis for “Man on Fire”. Its foundation lies in its story and (duh) its performances. Aside from Washington, the rest of the cast is outstanding. Christopher Walken is great (no surprise), but we know that he can play virtually any character. We’ve seen him do in “Annie Hall”, and then do a complete 180ş and accomplish “The Deer Hunter”. Also I have concluded that Dakota Fanning is the most consistently original and unreasonably talented child actor I have ever seen perform on screen.
Coming from a teenager, I don’t know how to put this film into words. I guess that’s why they hire professional writers to produce a script, though. Brian Helgeland concocted a near flawless mental basis for the film this is sophisticated, but not so much that the story is easily misleading. We have symbolism and intense drama – all of which works splendidly. I especially liked the Saint Jude necklace because it is one of a few key things that justifies the actions of Washington’s character. But you can begin to expect that from Helgeland because he’s responsible for “L.A. Confidential” and last years’ “Mystic River”: both movies involving people who are in dire need of justification.
“Man on Fire” is an action film that never slows down, even when it’s slow. It never lets up emotionally, and it never lets down entertainingly. Much like director Michael Bay, Tony Scott is able bring visually amazing action sequences to life. However, unlike Michael Bay, Scott is able to put story behind that action to back it up. This is a film that is as visually powerful as it is heartbreaking. And this is one of the best films of the year. *** ˝