Denzel Washington
Sarah Biren
Sarah Biren
January 18, 2024 ·  3 min read

Everyone Is Watching Denzel Washington’s Most Underrated Film On Netflix

No matter how big a movie is, I never want it to be just another gig.” — Denzel Washington

Once again, Netflix resurges interest in an almost forgotten movie. Streaming services have allowed audiences to view numerous titles and fall in love with stories they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. Think of comedy shows like Community or Arrested Development who both got poor viewership while on the air but garnered a large following thanks to Netflix. Now, the streaming service added 2004’s Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington and people are calling it a “must-watch.”

The Rise of Denzel Washington’s Film Man on Fire

Denzel Washington is a renowned American actor, director, and producer. He has garnered multiple awards, including a Tony Award, two Oscars, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Academy Awards, and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, the New York Times called him the greatest actor of the twenty-first century in 2020. 

His acting career began in theater, including an off-Broadway production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus in 1979. He is best known for his film roles in Training Day, Glory, Antwone Fisher, Malcolm X, The Book of Eli, and Fences. [1]

Moreover, Man on Fire is a 2004 action-thriller directed by Tony Scott, who was also a director, producer, and actor. The story is based on the 1980 novel by A.J. Quinnell, which is based on a true story about the head of the anti-kidnapping squad in Mexico. Denzel Washington plays the lead, John W. Creasy, who was a real-life Former CIA operative and assassin. The film follows him as he reluctantly becomes a bodyguard for the young daughter of a rich automaker. When the enemy abducts her, he goes on a gritty rampage to rescue her. The movie is praised for its striking visuals and emotional story beats. Additionally, the connection between Creasy and the young girl, played by Dakota Fanning, feels realistic and heart-breaking. [2]

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The Initial Critical Response

 However, the film was not well-received by critics when it was first released. For instance, at the time, BBC wrote about it,

Po-faced, dull and sadistic, Man On Fire is a major disappointment from the Crimson Tide team of Denzel Washington and Tony Scott.” Additionally,  The Independent writes, “If it’s just Scott’s way of saying, ‘Get a load of this, Quentin’, the speed of response (12 years since Reservoir Dogs) leaves something to be desired.”

But that didn’t stop the entourage of love for the film after its release on Netflix. In fact, old and new audiences began to praise the film and Denzel Washington’s performance on Twitter.

Unfortunately, Tony Scott passed away in 2012. He and Washington had worked together on multiple films, including The Taking of Pelham 123, Unstoppable, and Deja Vu. After Scott’s death, Denzel Washington said,

Tony Scott was a great director, a genuine friend and it is unfathomable to think that he is now gone. He had a tremendous passion for life and for the art of filmmaking and was able to share this passion with all of us through his cinematic brilliance. My family sends their prayers and deepest condolences to the entire Scott family.[3]

Keep Reading: Clint Eastwood, 91, on aging: ‘I don’t look like I did at 20, so what?’

Sources

  1. “Denzel Washington.Biography
  2. “Man on Fire.Houston Chronicle. Eric Harrison.
  3. Man on Fire fans delighted as Denzel Washington 2004 sleeper hit storms into Netflix chart.Independent. Elizabeth Aubrey.