People are going wild for Denzel’s most underrated film after it appears on Netflix

Kieran Galpin

Denzel is always on fire

Fans are going crazy over Denzel Washington’s 2004 thriller Man on Fire, which despite being more than a decade old, has seen a resurgence thanks to its recent introduction to Netflix.

Directed by action-pro Tony Scott, Man on Fire sees Washington star alongside Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, and Radha Mitchell in a movie that’s based on the novel of the same name by author A. J. Quinnell.

Washington plays John W. Creasy – an ex-CIA operative who’s pitted against a group of kidnappers that snatch a young girl who he has been paid to protect. Whilst tracking her down at all costs, he’s also forced to come face-to-face with some of his own personal demons along the way. John McClane, eat your heart out.

Despite only having a $70m budget, the flick grossed $130.3 million in box office alone – and while fans label the blockbuster as underrated – the film itself received mixed reviews at the time of its initial release.

“This is a merely average film that had much more potential,” wrote one dissatisfied movie buff on Rotten Tomatoes, which gives it an average rating of 38 per cent.

But the film has now seen a resurgence thanks to Netflix.

“Man on Fire is on Netflix… lemme watch it for the 87th time. I wonder if Denzel Washington knows how much I love him,” wrote one fan.

“Currently watching Man On Fire on Netflix. Totally forgot how awesome this movie is,” wrote another.

Another wrote: “Man on fire is my all time fave, I’ll never stop watching it.”

With a career spanning over four decades, Washington has become a household name worldwide. His first big break was arguably in St. Elsewhere (1982-1988), the medical drama in which he played Dr Philip Chandler.

However it was his time on the big screen that solidified him as one of the greatest actors of his – and many other – generations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HDicvhD4P0

One of Washington’s most acclaimed films is Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day (2002). A classic amongst fans, Washington plays a senior narcotics officer who puts rookie Ethan Hawke through his paces.