Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Tony Scott, ‘Man on Fire’ tells the story of John Creasy, an ex-CIA operative and mercenary, whose crippling alcohol addiction leads him to an unusual job: working as a bodyguard for Pita, the daughter of a wealthy man in Mexico. However, with the number of child abductions in the region rising every day, John’s task is far from easy. When Pita is kidnapped in a violent clash with a criminal syndicate, John returns to his roots and embarks on a journey for vengeance. In this action thriller movie, a child’s kidnapping drops the curtain on a larger network of crime, which slowly seeps into every element of John’s life. As he battles widespread corruption and town-wide secrets, the journey to save a single life turns into a larger quest for truth.
Man on Fire is a Modern Retelling of a Fictional Novel by Philip Nicholson
‘Man on Fire’ is a fictional story based on the eponymous novel by Philip Nicholson, who wrote under the pen name A. J. Quinnell. The classic was adapted to the screen by writer Brian Helgeland. While the finer details of the narrative were hand-crafted by Nicholson, he was reportedly inspired by two real-life incidents. The first was the kidnapping of a rich Singaporean man’s eldest son, wherein the man refused to pay the ransom to the crime syndicate. As a result, the son was killed, with later explanations claiming that the man refused to pay so that his younger sons would never become targets. While the historical accuracy of this anecdote cannot be fully ascertained, its thematic overlaps with Nicholson’s story are apparent, concerning the question of choice and the cost of a human life.
The second incident that served as Nicholson’s creative impetus was the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, the grandson of British oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty. John was kidnapped in Rome in 1973 by an Italian criminal syndicate known as ‘Ndrangheta.’ When Jean initially refused to pay the $17 million ransom, the kidnappers sent him his grandson’s severed ear, prompting Jean to pay a lower ransom of $2.2 million. John was released five months after the kidnapping, and the trauma led to his subsequent substance addiction. While Nicholson didn’t specifically base any of his story elements on this real-life case, he was likely inspired by the moral and emotional dilemmas that surrounded it.
Unlike Tony Scott’s film adaptation of ‘Man on Fire,’ which is set in Mexico, the original novel takes place in Italy, with various Italian mafia and criminal organizations being reimagined for the narrative. As per reports, Nicholson’s research was aided by an Italian man, whose life he had once saved in an airplane. The man and his family introduced the writer to a number of real-life investigators, lawyers, and even mafia members, who voluntarily participated in the story’s construction. Thus, the novel is partially a blend of facts and fiction, with real-life names and details often being integrated in a dramatized fashion. While the movie firmly retains its fictionality, it does incorporate some realism on a stylistic level. The members of the mafia syndicate are often introduced in a journalistic fashion, which is likely intended to add to the sense of realism.
Denzel Washington Developed a Unique Accent For His Role as the Fictional John Creasy
John Creasy is a fictional CIA agent and assassin turned bodyguard, created by Brian Helgeland solely for the movie. While the character is a modern reimagination of the protagonist of Philip Nicholson’s novel, Marcus Creasy, there are still a number of differences between the two fictional presences. Unlike John, Marcus is depicted as a former US Marine and French Foreign Legion soldier. Marcus is known to be a partial composite of many people Nicholson met in Africa and Vietnam between the 1960s and 70s. The surname, Creasy, itself came from a pilot friend of the writer who once flew him across Korea. In the movie, however, John has plenty of original additions in his characterisation, which give him a distinct identity.
While John may be an invented character, Denzel Washington’s commitment to the role brought the CIA agent to life. The actor reportedly worked with a voice coach for three months to perfect his American-accented Spanish, which is featured numerous times in the film. This made John’s character appear more believable on screen. Denzel was also in tune with the movie’s commentary on faith, which led to the integration of some Bible verses into the movie. In an interview with Phase9, he stated, “When I worked on TRAINING DAY, one of the cops I was working with introduced me to a few verses in the book of Romans that carry the theme of coming out of the dark, so I introduced them to Tony, and we worked that into the film.” Thus, Denzel’s own experiences also went into the making of John, giving him a personal element.
Read More: Where Was Man on Fire (2004) Filmed?
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