Man on Fire (2004)

Man on Fire is a 2004 British-American^[1] action drama film^[2] directed by Tony Scott from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, and based on the 1980 novel of the same name by A. J. Quinnell. The novel had previously been adapted into a feature film in 1987. In this film, Denzel Washington portrays John Creasy, a despondent, alcoholic former Special Activities Division operative/U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance officer-turned bodyguard, who goes on a revenge rampage after his charge, nine-year-old Lupita "Pita" Ramos (Dakota Fanning), is abducted in Mexico City. The supporting cast includes Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin and Mickey Rourke.

In 2003, burnt-out former U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance officer John Creasy visits his old comrade Paul Rayburn, who runs a security firm in Mexico. Wealthy Mexico City businessman Samuel Ramos, and his American wife Lisa, hire Creasy through Rayburn to guard their nine-year-old daughter "Pita". Samuel is having financial problems and secretly intends to keep Creasy only long enough to satisfy the requirements to renew his kidnap and ransom insurance (K&R) on Pita.

One night, drinking heavily, Creasy tries to commit suicide, but the cartridge fails to fire when he pulls the trigger. He calls Rayburn, who says that "a bullet always tells the truth."

Creasy distances himself from Pita, but soon begins to bond with the kind and astute girl, helping her develop her competitive swimming skills while controlling his drinking, having found renewed purpose in life.

One day, as Creasy waits to escort Pita from a piano lesson, a group of civilian thugs and two uniformed Policía Judicial Federal (PJF) officers kidnap her. Creasy opens fire, killing four of the kidnappers (including the corrupt PJF officers), but collapses from multiple gunshot wounds as the abductors escape with Pita. Creasy is hospitalized, charged for murdering the policemen and is suspected in Pita's kidnapping. Miguel Manzano, the honest Director of the Agencia Federal de Investigación (AFI), fears Creasy will be killed by corrupt PJF cops, and has Rayburn help move him to a veterinary hospital.

The head of the kidnapping ring, dubbed "The Voice" for his many ransom calls, contacts Samuel with instructions to deliver a US$10 million ransom. Samuel's attorney Jordan Kalfus and PJF Lieutenant Victor Fuentes gather the ransom through the K&R policy, then deliver it to the kidnappers. The drop, however, is ambushed by members of "La Hermandad", a powerful crime syndicate composed of corrupt PJF officers, who steal the money and kill The Voice's nephew in the process. The Voice notifies Samuel and Lisa that as retribution for his nephew's death, Pita will now be lost to them forever.

Creasy finally wakes in the vet hospital, and learns from Rayburn about the foiled ransom drop and Pita's death. Against the doctor’s advice that his wounds could kill him, Creasy leaves the hospital to start his own investigation. He goes to Pita's room, looking for her notebook for a suspicious license plate she once recorded, when Lisa appears and approves of his intention to kill everyone involved in Pita’s abduction. Rayburn helps Creasy purchase multiple black market weapons and explosives. Mariana Guerrero, Manzano’s girlfriend and a journalist investigating kidnappings, convinces Manzano that they should provide logistical support.

Pita’s license plate note leads Creasy to Jorge Gonzalez, the thug he saw dragging Pita away. Gonzalez turns out to be another PJF cop, who reveals (when tortured by Creasy) that he is a member of La Hermandad. He gives Creasy information on the operatives involved in the next stage of the kidnapping. Creasy tortures and brutally kills his way up the chain of command. The trail leads to PJF Lt. Fuentes, who is revealed to be the "president" of La Hermandad. Fuentes reveals that his men stole the ransom (a regular part of their illegal activities), but that the bags only held 25% of the ransom. In a failed attempt to have Creasy spare his life, Fuentes reveals that lawyer Kalfus was the last to handle the ransom bags, tying him to the missing $7.5 million.

Creasy finds Kalfus dead at home, and also finds evidence of questionable financial dealings with Samuel, linking both of them to the kidnapping. When he confronts Samuel and Lisa, Samuel confesses to Creasy and Lisa that he agreed to Kalfus' plan to work with The Voice to stage Pita's kidnapping. He needed $5 million of the K&R policy to pay off gambling debts he inherited from his father, splitting the rest between Kalfus and The Voice; he had not anticipated Fuentes' corruption and betrayal would ruin the plan and get Pita killed. Samuel held Kalfus responsible for the botched drop (since he had personally brought Fuentes in to assist in the scheme) and confesses to killing him. An enraged Lisa demands that Creasy kill Samuel; Creasy instead leaves Samuel with a pistol and the misfired round, which Samuel uses to commit suicide.

Using information provided by Creasy, Manzano is able to identify “The Voice” as Daniel Sanchez, who Mariana then exposes on the front page of her newspaper. Creasy sneaks into the home of Daniel’s brother, Aurelio, finding Daniel’s pregnant estranged wife and three of his children staying there as well. Aurelio shoots Creasy, but Creasy ties him up, tortures him, and has the wife phone Daniel. Creasy threatens to kill all of Daniel’s family unless he gives himself up, but Daniel surprisingly offers to exchange Pita for Creasy himself. After Daniel is able to provide confirmation that Pita is alive, Creasy agrees to the demands. Creasy calls Lisa with the news and has her join him at the exchange, having her hold a shotgun to Aurelio’s head to ensure the exchange happens. Creasy and Pita embrace and briefly talk at the midpoint of the exchange. Pita runs to her mother, who releases Aurelio while Creasy surrenders to the kidnappers. As Lisa and Pita drive away, Creasy succumbs to multiple gunshot wounds and dies in the kidnapper’s car. Manzano, knowing Pita is free and Creasy is dead, kills Daniel during his “arrest”.