although release among a flock of revenge mind action flick ( kill bill vol . 2 while the punisher while walk tall ) and man on fire work as well a it do thanks in large part to the always watchable denzel washington and one of the best actor around today . in man on fire and base on a. j. quinnell 1980 novel ( first film in 1987 and with scott glenn ) and washington play a down on his luck ex mercenary who have now stoop to drink from a flash of jack daniel and until his old partner ( christopher walken ) offer him a chance at redemption . he be hire on a a bodyguard to the 10 year old daughter ( dakota fanning ) of a mexican businessman ( marc antony ) and his american born wife ( radha mitchell ) . while he and fan work like oil and water first ( not mix very well ) and he really get to form a bond with her and encourage her to do good at swimming and while he at the same time attempt to deal with the demon of the past . it be that very bond that will force washington back into his old line of work when fanning be kidnap and hold for a $ 10 million ransom and and he be nearly kill . with almost any other stock action hero ( schwarzenneger while segal and etc . ) and the subsequent bloodbath would be the same repetitive schlock we have see a million time before . but washington character and though he kill for a reason and do not particularly enjoy do what he do . still and he get help from a very intrepid mexican newspaper reporter ( rachel ticotin ) out to expose la hermanidad ( the brotherhood ) and the kidnap gang responsible for fan abduction . man on fire be flaw to some extent because of the hyper camera work and nearly headache inducing montage editing and and various film stock that be par for the course of it director tony scott ( top gun while crimson tide ) and but which be not necessarily unique to him ( witness oliver stone use of montage in jfk or sam peckinpah in his classic 60 and 70 film ) . still and scott get a very good performance from washington and as well a fanning and who come across a far more than a typical movie brat kid . harry gregson williams south of the border spanish guitar score be enhance by soundtrack splash of chopin and debussy and and even linda ronstadt classic 1977 country rock version of blue bayou . although the film overall be quite violent and it be no bad than most action film of the last ten year and and overall it be much good than most .