 Fox // Buy from Amazon.comHard-drinking, burnt-out ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Washington) has given up on life--until his friend Rayburn (Oscar winner Christopher Walken) gets him a job as a bodyguard to nine-year-old Pita Ramos (Dakota Fanning). Bit by bit, Creasy begins to reclaim his soul, but when Pita is kidnapped, Creasy unleashes a firestorm of apocalyptic vengeance against everyone responsible. "Man on Fire" is one of my all-time favorite films - best-of-career performances from all involved (including & especially Denzel), gripping story that grabs ahold within the first 2 minutes and never lets go and intense action sequences that entertain just as they seem hyper-realistic. But what really makes this film stand out and join the upper echelon of my all-time faves is the direction and super-stylized cineomatography of Tony Scott - what this man is able to do with a camera and the post-production process is unparalleled and truly inspiring. The relationship between Creasy (Denzel) and Pita (Dakota Fanning) is so subtle and profound, with a true sense of sincerity conveyed by both of these talented actors. It's amazing that within such an intense, action-packed, hard-hitting revenge flick, you can find such tenderness, but that's probably the contrast that makes both so powerful in their own right. But again, for me, it all comes back to Scott's truly original cinematography - I've actually sat and watched this film on mute before, just to fully immerse myself in the amazing visuals, and they carry this film - and mesmerize - all on their own. Amazing. Video Unbelievable - this film already looked fantastic on the previous standard definition DVD releases, but to see it now in all its 1080p high definition Blu-ray glory leaves me speechless (well, not entirely, otherwise this would be a pretty weak review.) Every single aspect of this transfer is remarkable and jaw-droppingly gorgeous - the exquisite detail, dreamy colors, deep blacks, all look utterly amazing in this reference-quality presentation. Audio To accompany the perfect video presentation, we get a DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio mix that is perfectly equal to its visual partner. The surround mix is totally immersive and will rattle your very bones. Extras Closing Thoughts Fantastic, fantastic film looking better than ever before + zero extras = definitive version of the film to watch (just unfortunately with no extras to accompany it) |
