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The late, great Tony Scott’s 2004 cinematic spectacle Man on Fire with the sensational Denzel Washington is one of my all-time faves when it comes to ranking action-thrillers. I do like Scott Glenn’s interpretation from 1987 as well but come on, Washington delivers like he always does and it still has one of the most gut punch endings ever in cinema. The films hails from the book series by A.J. Quinell and it’s a visceral, unflinching decent into the underworld of cartels and kidnappings and Denzel navigates it like a well-oiled machine especially when it comes time to paint his masterpiece.
With that all said, I’m still excited to see the third adaptation of Man on Fire which Netflix has coming up in April and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II looks fantastic in the role as he is one of Hollywood’s best kept secrets right now. While it probably won’t hold a candle to Washington and Scott’s version, this one still looks brutal, gritty and striped down with Mateen going one man army while battling his own demons and a severe case of PTSD. The action sequences and combat look fierce and the human drama plentiful so check out the new trailer below!
Based on A.J. Quinnell‘s book series, Man on Fire tells the story of John Creasy. Once a high-functioning and skilled Special Forces Mercenary, known for surviving even the most desolate of situations, Creasy is now plagued with intense PTSD. Determined to overcome his personal demons, he sets out on a path to redemption. But before he can adjust to this new life, he finds himself back in the fire, fighting harder than ever.
The Netflix series of Man on Fire is in good hands as Creed and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts helmer Stephen Caple Jr. directed the first two episodes. Vicente Amorim takes over with episodes 3 and 4, while Clare Kilner directed episodes 5 and 6, and Michael Cuesta helemed the series. The supporting cast around Mateen is superb as well with Billie Boullet, Bobby Cannavale, Alice Braga, and Scoot McNairy rounding out the players.
Mateen is an Emmy winner so there is no doubt that he will bring the pain in both the dramatic and action sections of the series and this initial trailer definitely wets the appetite for fans of black ops actioners like me. John Creasy is one of my favorite characters and is layered all around and it will be interesting to see how Mateen tackles it along with the bullets and bravado.
Man on Fire Hits Netflix on April 30th!
