Shockingly, the movie received poor reviews upon release. However, it's now considered a classic.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Sunday, 9 November) is Man on Fire, the 2004 supernatural film starring Denzel Washington.
Named the greatest actor of the 21st century by The New York Times in 2020,
Denzel Washington stars in the film, which is based on the novel of the same name.
Directed by his frequent collaborator Tony Scott, Washington plays John Creasy - a former CIA man struggling with alcoholism, burnout and guilt over his actions while with the agency.
With the help of his longtime friend (Christopher Walken), he gets a job as a bodyguard for a young girl named Pita (
Dakota Fanning), whose father runs a big business in Mexico City.
Creasy finds a newfound purpose in life looking after Pita. However, when the child is kidnapped, her protector uses his CIA skills to launch a one-man war against the people responsible.
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Surprisingly, Man on Fire still holds a lowly 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with common sources of complaint at the time of its release from critics including its grim tone, its violent content and its 146 minute length.
However, in recent years, the movie has attracted a legion of devoted fans who love many aspects of the film, such as Creasy and Pita's friendship, the quotable dialogue, Scott's hyperkinetic visual style that places the viewer inside its hero's tortured psyche and the themes of redemption.
You can catch it on
Channel 4 tonight at
11.45pm.
Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:
Maverick – RTÉ2 – 9pm
Comedy Western, starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, with James Garner, star of the original TV series, alongside Graham Greene and James Coburn.
My Best Friend's Wedding – E4 – 10.40pm
A food critic realises she is in love with her best friend just as he announces he is going to marry another woman.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – ITV1 – 4.10pm
Conclusion of the fantasy saga, with Daniel Radcliffe, Ralph Fiennes, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Alan Rickman
Wheels of Terror – Legend – 01.10am
A group of German prisoners is sent on a perilous assignment behind Russian lines, with a pro
Precious Cargo – Legend Xtra – 11.45pm
A thief is marked for death by a crime boss after a heist goes badly wrong. To win back his trust, she plans to steal a cargo of rare precious gems and recruits a former lover to carry out the job.
