I think he didn't wear one because of his wound. Every time he went swimming u can see his bandaged stomach with plenty of blood. So maybe if he wore a vest, it would put too much pressure on his stomach that it would start to bleed heavily?

Get ready to gasp...

There's a lot of people, maybe this poster as well, who agree. Maybe not with the review, but with the grade.

I understand that people may not like the film, but I think the acting alone deserves more than half a star. I can respect disliking it, but dismissing it with half a star is essentially throwing this with the worst of the worst. I simply think that's an unreasonable judgment. There's a lot of people, maybe this poster as well, who may agree. *gasp*

And scott, you started this thread with your discouraging remarks, and said that would suffice for now. Have you ever said why you dislike the film so much?

We just saw it tonight. Thought it was going to be great, but it was a B/B-, I'd say. Very intense and didn't like the way the violent second half was filmed after a terrific hour of setting that relationship up so beautifully. Dakota Fanning is amazing. How could you do a movie with her and not want to take her home with you? I am truly disappointed now to read here that it was given a hollywood ending, although before I knew that, I was pleased (relieved) with how it ended. I also agree that 1/2 star is terribly harsh and, pretty much, writes the entire film and performances off as nothing but garbage. I would expect to see it getting 2 stars to 3 1/2 stars, which is what I'd seen from most of the reviews before seeing the film.

I saw the film last night and enjoyed it quite a bit. It wasn't Training Day but at least it was a lot better than Denzel's last film, Out of Time, which other than the eye candy of Eva Mendes, pretty much sucked.

That's exactly how the kidnappers felt...

Well… I’ll try to keep it brief. I kept quiet because I’m learning that first opinions are not popular here.

I thought he editing/photography was an insult to the eye and the audience. Scott is a known stylist, but this film is incredibly bonkers visually. It just goes way too far every chance it gets. Give me Tarantino and his long, breathing takes any day of the week.

The subtitling I found to be silly and desperate. As if the filmmakers couldn’t sell the emotion in the scene, so they underlined the beats with the funky subtitles. Once the pin number showed up, I started to laugh, which is rude, but I couldn’t help it.

Denzel is a good actor, but he keeps playing the same parts. It used to be called “repeating yourself,” but nobody calls him on it. Washington is passionate, which is great, and we need more of that to repel the Paul Walkers of the world, but I’m getting bored with his performances lately. He almost becomes a cartoon in FIRE.

I’m hoping his paranoid, “nerdy/ugly” role in MANCHURIAN CANIDATE will snap him out of his routine.

I liked the initial interplay between Creasy and Pita, and Scott deserves credit for giving the film time to build on their core interplay. But that goodwill is scorched by the silly sexual undertones between Pita’s mother and Creasy (thankfully brief), or the ridiculous religious backdrop to the violence presented. The whole “setting down the bottle, picking up the bible” was too hammy for words.

And the bomb-up-the-hinder sequence? Good heavens… I’m convinced the Farrelly Brothers were the guest directors that day.

I would back up any ½ star, D-, rotten, flaccid penis review. IMO, I find the film to be an unmitigated mess, made all the more embarrassing when KILL BILL came out the week before and clearly showed what a revenge film can accomplish with imagination and thoughtful visual choices.

I thought it was very good. I give it **** out of *****. I liked the cast quite a bit and I enjoyed how they built up Creasy's relationship w/ Pita. It was better than I thought it would be.

I saw this tonight and disliked it. For whatever reason, Tony Scott's uniqu brand of style severly hurt this film - it left a bad taste in my mouth. Furthermore, the story had very little substance and was overlong by about 30 minutes.

Saw it tonight and liked it, especially the visuals.

I saw it tonight and I liked it. I really could feel Creasy's need to kill......

Sorry but I had to add this to my post

God: What on Earth is that noise? Jeee-zus Christ!
Jesus: Look Dad don't say my name in vain.
God: "Jeesy Creasy"

Originally posted by Corvin
The DVDTalk review for this film seems excessively harsh. Half a star for a film like this? Come on.

No kidding, jesus. Its a great movie, well acted and well directed, unlike that shit turd of a movie The Punisher, I wish I could have back that 2 hours of my life.

Of course there were plot holes, like why didn't Creasy wear some kevlar from the beginning of course he should have thought that there might be some gun fire, he was well worried about his gun, he should have been worried he might get shot.......or maybe he "wanted" to get shot, so depressed maybe it was a type of suididal thing.

9/10
4.5 stars
A-
Thumbs up!

I'm assuming the book is a lot better than the film?

I liked this film, but in some places it did drag on a bit. Would of been interesting to see why Creasy was screwed up and had to turn to the drink.

I thought that was more or less guilt over the things done in his profession? It seemed clear to me.

But I could be wrong.

I had figured it was guilt as well, thus the "Is there room in Heaven for people like us?" conversation between Washington and Walken.

Man I caught this at the matinee on Thursday and the reviews don't do this movie justice. I was sucked in from the beginning Generally a well acted, directed and written film. Like many people said it is like two diferent films but the character development in the first act really made you care about the characters. Denzel washington had a level of pathos that I've never seen in any of his characters
And Creasy is one bad mofo. Definately a really entertaining movie.

Did anyone see the original '80's "Man on Fire" with Scott Glenn? How does it compare?

I enjoyed the movie, but I feel kind of stupid for asking this...



Again, I feel quite stupid for asking

I thought...

Cruzness is correct on that as that's what the character confesses when washington confronts him

Forgiveness is about them and God, my job is to arrange the meeting


Quality!

a bit overlong but i love revenge films and Denzel rocks

enjoyable movie with lots of violence

I thought it was good but the ending killed it for me.

I loved the way that it was shot and the fact that they took time to develope the characters. Also loved that they didn't pull any punches as far as the violence goes. I was afraid that Creasy would go soft and let some people go.

the fact is he cared more about a loved ones life than his own. there's no greater love. I loved the movie. at least denzel makes a B movie into an A movie with his acting alone. Creasy had no mercy on the bad guys. who would? Tony Scott did a good job, bettet than what his brother did with Troy.

In regards to the poster who asked about Kevlar, you're right! I was abit worried about that as well. I would understand that he wouldn't have worn it earlier as he didn't really care about himself. But as their friendship grew and him seeing that car you would have thought he would have protected himself better.
And to matrixrok9, the previous poster meant before he got shot in the first place.
I bought this on DVD before seeing it at the Cinema because I haven't got enough time to see all the other stuff up there, and watched it last night. Liked it alot, 4 out of 5. I like all the main players, and watch most of their films. I like Scotts' style and i don't quite know why people who know his style complain about when the watch his films. Admittingly this is perhaps his most frantic film to date, but I do like his style, especially the subtitles as they were almost another character (going behind trees etc).
I agree with another posters' view of the violence, there has to be every now and then a film that shows violence and vengence for what it is or can be. I don't mind cartoon action but you are talking about a girl who had been kidnapped and killed.