RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Man on Fire
Man on Fire

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Man on Fire (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
39 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:153

Fresh:59

Rotten:94

Average Rating:5.2/10

Consensus: Man on Fire starts out well, but goes over the top in the violent second half.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language and strong violence

Runtime: 2 hrs 26 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:Apr 23, 2004 Wide

Box Office: $77,693,136

Synopsis: John Creasy (Denzel Washington) is a lost soul. A former government operative, he has become an alcoholic nomad, searching for inspiration and redemption. An old friend (Christopher Walken) who... John Creasy (Denzel Washington) is a lost soul. A former government operative, he has become an alcoholic nomad, searching for inspiration and redemption. An old friend (Christopher Walken) who lives in Mexico gets Creasy a job as a bodyguard for nine-year-old Lupita "Pita" Ramos (Dakota Fanning), the daughter of Mexican Samuel (Marc Anthony) and his American wife Lisa (Radha Mitchell). Creasy's primary job is to protect Pita from the kidnapping attempts that are an increasing menace to the children of Mexico City's wealthy. A man of few words and many secrets, Creasy initially balks at Pita's attempts to befriend him, but soon a bond grows between the precocious child and this lonely man who is tormented by his past. When Pita is kidnapped despite Creasy's valiant attempts to save her, he will do anything to bring all of those involved to justice. His fury unravels a net of almost unimaginable corruption and greed in the process. Director Tony Scott (TOP GUN, CRIMSON TIDE) builds the relationship between Creasy and Pita in the first half of the film in order to justify Creasy's violent actions in the latter half, and in the process he does a fine job of keeping the film's tension consistently high. [More]

Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken

Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin, Mickey Rourke

Director: Tony Scott

Director: Tony Scott
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland
Producer: Lucas Foster, Arnon Milchan, Tony Scott
Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Man On Fire Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Sep 14, 2004

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Man on Fire

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Revenge films take another bump.

Full Review Source: FilmsInReview.com | comment Comment
04/21/04
Victoria Alexander
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

A serious drama that spends careful camera time with its characters. Some plot problems, but this picture has a strong heart underneath a harsh surface.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
04/26/04
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

Director Tony Scott's visual style is very jittery and more expressionistic than it needs to be, but he succeeds in creating an appropriately nightmarish, apocalyptic vision of the Third World south of the border.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
04/22/04
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Heavy-handed and stiff, Tony Scott's film is longwinded and irritatingly reminiscent -- stylistically at least -- of the works of David Fincher.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
04/29/04
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Trash is trash, no matter how expensive or arty it looks, or how well-acted it is.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
04/23/04
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

Scott’s laudable attempt to push the envelope emotionally can’t quite overcome the screenplay’s limitations

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
04/21/04
Chris Barsanti
Chris Barsanti
Filmcritic.com

A better-than- average example of a revenge flick.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
04/22/04
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Man On Fire becomes riveting in (Washington's) calm, meticulous rage. But gradually it's also undermined by Scott's non-stop, hopped-up-on-crystal-meth-style editing.

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
04/22/04
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

Punch drunk with sadism and sentimentality.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
04/23/04
Michael Booth
Michael Booth
Denver Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Maybe the film should be called Man on Fire Whose Bleeding Gunshot Wounds Won't Stop Him.

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
04/23/04
Kit Bowen
Kit Bowen
Hollywood.com

You'd have to call Man on Fire a mess, but at least it's an interesting mess.

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
04/23/04
Jay Boyar
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel

Because of Washington's superb gifts and stores of charisma, he can be casual in the way he exercises them, even in a method of interrogation never seen on NYPD.

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
05/02/04
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

[Director Tony] Scott's meaningless stylistics immediately grate on the nerves.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
04/28/04
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

Tries to justify revenge by hooking it into the myth of redemptive violence -- it doesn't work.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment 1 Comment
04/22/04
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Helgeland's screenplay is too lazy to investigate Washington's viciousness. This promising movie winds up spinning its wheels in a conventionally dopey action plot.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Weekly | comment Comment
05/11/04
Sean Burns
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly

Mean-spirited; one of the year's 10 worst

Full Review Source: Catholic Sun | comment 1 Comment
01/05/05
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Catholic Sun

Character development consists of sticking a bottle in Creasy's hand.

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
05/01/04
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

Revealing of the seething core of terror, wrath, and provincialism in our America.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
04/21/04
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

Unlike the recent comic book adaptation, The Punisher, Creasy doesn’t waste time and when he puts on his avenging wings WATCH OUT because he is going to PUNISH!

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
04/22/04
Erik Childress
Erik Childress
eFilmCritic.com

Seventeen years from now, we may well remember this version of the story -- just as one remembers getting hammered on the head repeatedly with a 2-by-4.

Full Review Source: USA Today | comment 1 Comment
04/22/04
Mike Clark
Mike Clark
USA Today
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for Man on Fire

May 20, 2009: Fox International Targets Local Markets Opens in new window
Looking to drum up new(ish) streams of international income, Fox is planning Russian and Japanese versions of library titles such as "Man on Fire" and "Working Girl." More...

September 24, 2007: Denzel, Tony Scott to Take Pelham One Two Three
Pelham is about to be taken again -- and Denzel Washington and Tony Scott are doing the taking. More...

May 21, 2007: Four Directors Up for the Next "Bond" Flick?
Curious to know who'll be directing the next James Bond flick? Join the club. One source has a short list of potential helmers, all of whom would be pretty ... distinctive. More...

November 21, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Halls" Spreads Little Cheer; "Déjà Vu" Intrigues; "The Fountain" Overflows; "Pick" Is Mixed
This week at the movies, we've got holiday mischief ("Deck the Halls," starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito), a phenomenon known as déjà vu ("Déjà... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Nine Pictures

Nine Pictures

Hottest poster ever? 14 pictures from Nine

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

See what her 10 best reviewed films are!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
84
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
32
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
12
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
80
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
16
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
36
  • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
30
  • Nimrod Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
94
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
91
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
35
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
24
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
18
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
17
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
11
  • Duncan Jones Reteams With Kevin Spacey
5
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Man on Fire at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Man on Fire at IGN
  • Man on Fire at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.