Taglines: A Promise To Protect. A Vow To Avenge.
A wave of kidnappings has swept through Mexico, feeding a growing sense of panic among its wealthier citizens, especially parents. In one six-day period, there were 24 abductions, leading many to hire bodyguards for their children. Into this world enters John Creasy (Denzel Washington), a burned-out ex-CIA operative/assassin who has given up on life.
Creasy’s friend Rayburn (Christopher Walken) brings him to Mexico City to be a bodyguard to nine-year-old Pita Ramos (Dakota Fanning), daughter of industrialist Samuel Ramos (Marc Anthony) and his wife Lisa (Radha Mitchell). Creasy is not interested in being a bodyguard, especially to a youngster, but for lack of something better to do, he accepts the assignment.
Creasy barely tolerates the precocious child and her pestering questions about him and his life. But slowly, she chips away at his seemingly impenetrable exterior, his defenses drop, and he opens up to her. Creasy’s new-found purpose in life is shattered when Pita is kidnapped. Despite being mortally wounded during the kidnapping, Creasy is “a Man on Fire,” as he vows to kill anyone involved in or profiting from the kidnapping. And no one can stop him.
Man on Fire is a 2004 British-American crime thriller film directed by Tony Scott from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, and based on the 1980 novel of the same name by A. J. Quinnell. The novel had previously been adapted into a feature film in 1987. In this film, Denzel Washington portrays John Creasy, a despondent, alcoholic former CIA operative/U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance officer-turned mercenary and bodyguard, who goes on a revenge rampage after his charge, nine-year-old Lupita “Pita” Ramos (Dakota Fanning), is abducted in Mexico City. The supporting cast includes Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin and Mickey Rourke.
Tony Scott, the director, tried to have a version of the film made in 1983, but since it 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 it. At the time Italy was still a major center of kidnapping in the world. A version was made in 1987 with Scott Glenn. Michael Bay and Antoine Fuqua were considered to direct the remake until 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.
20th Century Fox wanted the film to be set in Italy. An early draft of the script was set in Naples. 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. Mexico City became the setting of the 2004 film because Mexico City had a high kidnapping rate, and due to other reasons. As a result, the character Rika Balletto was renamed Lisa Martin Ramos, and Pinta Balletto was renamed Lupita “Pita” Ramos. Ettore Balletto became Samuel Ramos. Robert De Niro was originally offered the role of Creasy. Prior to his death, Marlon Brando was the original choice to play Rayburn.
The cut “Smiling”, from the soundtrack composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, has been adopted as the theme of a number of television commercials for Omega Watches in 2012 to 2013. The Soundtrack contains 20 tracks, was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, and was released on July 27, 2004.
Man on Fire (2004)
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin, Mickey Rourke, Roberto Sosa, Christopher Walken, Jesús Ochoa
Screenplay by: Brian Helgeland
Production Design by: Benjamín Fernández, Chris Seagers
Cinematography by: Paul Cameron
Film Editing by: Christian Wagner
Costume Design by: Louise Frogley
Set Decoration by: Elli Griff
Art Direction by: Héctor Romero
Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence / terror, sexual content and language.
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 23, 2004
Visits: 50
