6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
An agent newly retired from the CIA agrees to become an Italian businessman's bodyguard in this adventure film. Things fall apart though, when terrorists kidnap the Italian's daughter and the agent must rescue her.
Starring: Scott Glenn, Joe Pesci, Brooke Adams, Jonathan Pryce, Paul ShenarThriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A 1980 novel by Philip Nicholson, “Man on Fire” has inspired three cinematic adaptations, the most financially successful being a 2004 Tony Scott film starring Denzel Washington. However, it’s the first attempt that’s perhaps the most interesting, with 1987’s “Man on Fire” attempting to turn a heartwarming tale of an unlikely friendship into the action event of the year. Director Elie Chouraqui doesn’t possess the same visual ambition as Scott, keeping matters relatively straightforward for this endeavor, which strives to be more about characterization than orgasmic explosions of violence. Scott Glenn takes on the titular role, and while he’s a credible avenging force, he’s trapped in a picture that doesn’t always know what it wants to be, trying to keep up with the helmer’s often hazy concept of suspense. “Man on Fire” is the most tasteful of the adaptations, and it’s certainly eventful. It’s the overall thrust of urgency that’s lacking from the feature, which spends more time with setup than it does with payoff, forcing viewers to retain the utmost patience with the production as it struggles to prioritize escalation.
Billed as a "2K Restoration," the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is immediately under attack by boosted brightness levels. Blacks are hit fairly hard during the viewing experience, turning them milky, while diluting delineation, making frame information periodically difficult to see. Detail isn't perfect, but close-ups tend to be represented the best, giving Glenn's thousand yard stare some needed texture. Colors aren't remarkable, but they serve their purpose, maintaining greenery and urban adventures, while skintones are natural. Mild amounts of judder are detected, and the source offers speckling and a few scratches.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is more of a blunt instrument, with large portions of the film looped for maximum clarity in difficult sound environments. Dialogue is pronounced and easy to follow, though it often lacks a natural sound, keeping the overall mix on a thin side. Music sounds better, with healthy instrumentation and dramatic emphasis, securing emotional moods. Sound effects are crisp and snappy, with the picture's descent into shootouts preserving loud gunfire and car crashes. Atmospherics are acceptable, capturing lively city activity and more serene country encounters.
There is no supplementary material on this disc.
Scott bathed his "Man on Fire" in excess, from run time to extreme violence, making for a thoroughly unpleasant viewing experience. Chouraqui's take on the material is less about suffering, making it instantly more approachable. However, it's easy to imagine an ideal version of the story that arrives somewhere between the extremes, giving "Man on Fire" its due with thoughtful direction and a proper management of thrills and tone, which is missing from both efforts.
The Dirty Harry Collection
1976
Special Edition
1974
Extreme Cut
2009
Unrated Cut
2012
2004
2014
2014
1989
2015
Unrated
2015
1971
2K Restoration
1979
2016
2008
2019
2018
2012
2015
Limited Edition to 3000
1973
30th Anniversary Edition
1992