GoKawiilMan on Fire is a story that first hit my radar, like many of you, when Denzel Washington stepped into the role of former CIA operative John Creasy in Tony Scott's 2004 action film. The story of that film, like Netflix's new thriller, draws inspiration from A. J. Quinnell's book of the same name -- which is the first entry in the five-book series.
For all intents and purposes, the 2004 film is a solid adaptation, and thanks to the performances of Washington (who plays Creasy) and a young Dakota Fanning, it has stood the test of time and remains a quality actioner to dig into.
Also, potentially like many of you, I'm shocked to say that Netflix's episodic adaptation of Quinnell's work is far superior.
If you've paid attention to the numbers, you already know that Man on Fire hit the top of Netflix's streaming charts with a whopping 11 million views in the show's first four days on the platform. It was this news that nudged me to give the show a try -- and I was immediately hooked.
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Netflix's Man on Fire isn't a retread of the 2004 movie because the series loosely adapts the original material. Taking a note from shows of a similar ilk, like Reacher and Cross, Man on Fire takes its own creative liberties while using the books as a narrative foundation. And it works brilliantly.
This Man on Fire takes to the streets of Brazil, altering the conflict of the original story, while adhering to the basics of a weathered man doing anything and everything to protect a girl who's being hunted by gangs and terrorists hell-bent on killing her. That's just one piece to an intricate and violent puzzle.
If it sounds heavy, that's because it is. But thanks to smart writing and the emotional resonance of the cast performances, the movie is as engaging and heartfelt as it is bloody.
You want to watch this beatdown man get lit on fire for this purpose -- it's Death Wish for a whole new generation.
Abdul-Mateen stars in Man on Fire on Netflix. Netflix
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