Netflix’s gritty action thriller Man on Fire is an unexpected success that’s worth queuing up

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Netflix’s new series, Man on Fire, doesn’t actually show John Creasy being burned, but he endures a relentless barrage of hardship over its seven episodes. Just the first episode sees Creasy brutally attacked, crashing his car into a concrete barrier, and almost being killed in an explosion. In other words, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who gained recognition as Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen, plays a character who goes through a lot of pain and suffering.

Unlike the over-the-top superhero action in movies like Watchmen, Aquaman, and this year’s Wonder Man, this film, “Man on Fire,” feels a bit more grounded. Though Creasy has a background as a Special Forces soldier, he’s presented as a more ordinary character, and it quickly becomes apparent he’s highly capable.

Creasy isn’t the man he used to be, but when a friend from his past needs assistance, he’s ready for action. Let’s just say he’s focused entirely on the ‘action’ part now.

So far, so cliche, yet Man on Fire is obviously well made from the get-go.

Okay, so this new show isn’t quite as polished as that Denzel Washington movie from a while back, but the guy running things, Kyle Killen, is doing a great job keeping it real. It doesn’t have that super-clean, typical Netflix look – it feels a bit rougher around the edges, and honestly, I’m digging that way more.

You can feel the impact of every fight, every gunshot wound. Let’s spare a thought for all the nameless opponents caught in Creasy’s relentless, deeply personal quest for revenge, which takes him through the slums of Rio de Janeiro and even further.

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Despite a potentially gloomy start, and one surprisingly dark moment in the first episode, this show is actually quite enjoyable for the majority of its runtime.

Look, Man on Fire isn’t a comedy or anything, and it definitely doesn’t treat the serious stuff lightly. But I really think the director made some clever choices, especially in how he played with what you expect. It really helped this adaptation of the book feel more connected to Creasy as a person, and that made the action feel even more impactful to me.

It’s more fun to let you discover the specific changes yourself, but we can definitely say that Yahya Abdul-Mateen does an amazing job revealing them.

Despite dealing with a lot of difficult experiences, the main character remains surprisingly upbeat, largely thanks to the captivating performance by Abdul-Mateen. He’s what keeps the story engaging even when it slows down, and he’s also why you’ll be excited to see what happens next at the end of the season.

Billie Boullet, playing a role similar to Dakota Fanning alongside Abdul-Mateen’s Denzel Washington, demonstrates significant growth since her days on the CBBC show The Worst Witch. Their strong emotional connection is at the heart of the story, though the plot unfolds in a new way compared to earlier versions of Man on Fire.

The show connects with viewers on a deeper, more personal level, giving people a reason to watch that even its critics might not anticipate.

Updates like these might make you hope Netflix revisits more older favorites, like the film Man on Fire. With consistently strong actors such as Alice Braga (from Dark Matter) and Bobby Cannavale (The Watcher), the show delivers a solid action thriller that’s worth watching.

Despite being good, the show feels like it could have been truly great, considering the talented people involved. It’s impressive that this streaming series knows exactly what it is so early on, as traditional network shows usually needed more time to develop. If the adaptation were just a little shorter – maybe one or two episodes – it would almost certainly be a bigger success.

If you loved Reacher and are looking for something similar to keep you hooked, definitely check this out – I’d even give it an extra star just for filling that void, even if it’s not mind-blowing.

Man on Fire is now available to stream on Netflix.

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2026-04-30 10:19