Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars in Netflix's adaptation of the thriller novel that inspired the 2004 Denzel Washington film. The six-part series, set in Rio de Janeiro, follows John Creasy, a former special forces soldier haunted by PTSD, who becomes a bodyguard to a young woman named Poe. When her family is killed by a bomb, Creasy embarks on a revenge mission against the criminals responsible.
The show attempts to blend high-octane action with serious drama, focusing on Creasy's mental instability and Poe's grief. Abdul-Mateen delivers a formidable performance, conveying his character's pain through stillness and economy of movement. However, the series' grim tone often undermines its more absurd action sequences, such as Creasy driving a car onto a runway, leaping into a moving plane, and taking over the controls after the pilots are killed.
While some scenes are powerful—particularly an interrogation involving a car battery that will make viewers wince—the overall effect is a show that feels both ludicrous and glum. The supporting cast of misfit accomplices adds little, and the extended talky moments slow the pace. Man on Fire demonstrates why most unstoppable-avenger thrillers keep their protagonists' dark sides lightly sketched: without humour, the implausible action becomes harder to swallow.
