{"id":2397586,"date":"2026-05-01T11:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T11:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2397586"},"modified":"2026-05-01T11:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T11:36:09","slug":"netflixs-man-on-fire-review-a-worthy-reboot-mostly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/netflixs-man-on-fire-review-a-worthy-reboot-mostly\/","title":{"rendered":"Netflix’s ‘Man On Fire’ Review: A Worthy Reboot, Mostly"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Warning: This story contains spoilers for Netflix\u2019s \u201cMan on Fire.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There\u2019s a new \u201cMan on Fire\u201d in town, and it\u2019s bringing all the heat to our TV screens.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This week, Netflix rolled out its series adaptation of A.J. Quinnell\u2019s acclaimed 1980 novel of the same name, with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stepping into the role of the notorious John Creasy. Unlike in past reboots, such as in Denzel Washington\u2019s unforgettable turn in Tony Scott\u2019s 2004 film (and the lesser-known 1987 film adaptation starring Scott Glenn), this story expands Quinnell\u2019s source material into a gutsy, seven-part revenge thriller set against the backdrop of Brazil.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In this reimagined version, adapted by Kyle Killen, Creasy is portrayed as a deeply scarred former CIA operative battling PTSD. After a devastating incident forces him back into the line of fire, he embarks on a relentless quest for vengeance, only to find himself entangled in a far-reaching political conspiracy.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The series wastes no time establishing his broken state: a mission gone wrong left Creasy\u2019s entire team dead, making him the lone survivor burdened by the trauma. Years later, still in despair, a drunken Creasy attempts to end his life by crashing his car, only to wake up in a hospital with his former superior and old friend, Paul Rayburn (Bobby Cannavale), at his side.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Offered a second chance, Creasy reluctantly agrees to start over in Rio de Janeiro, living with Rayburn\u2019s family while taking on work with the Brazilian government. But his fresh start quickly takes a turn when Rayburn\u2019s daughter, Poe (Billie Boullet), survives a deadly bombing and becomes a key witness in need of protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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From there, the story follows Creasy and Poe as they\u2019re forced on the run, pursued by dangerous enemies who want them both dead. Along the way, they assemble an unlikely team \u2014 well-connected cab driver Melo (Alice Braga), her sensitive cousin Livro (Jefferson Baptista), and street-savvy gang member Vico (Iago Xavier) \u2014 to help them survive as they work to uncover the truth behind the bombing and its ties to the highest levels of government.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a scene from “Man on Fire.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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The series also stars Scoot McNairy, Thom\u00e1s Aquino, Alex Ozerov-Meyer, Billy Blanco Jr., Bruno Suzano, P\u00e2mela Germano and Rei Black.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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While parts of Netflix<\/a>\u2019s \u201cMan on Fire\u201d may feel familiar (or come off as a cheap knock-off of Washington\u2019s iconic portrayal<\/a>, as some critics have complained<\/a>), Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s powerhouse performance as the ruthless, hardened anti-hero still anchors an otherwise action-packed series.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Below, here\u2019s a closer look at what else \u201cMan on Fire\u201d gets right (and wrong), from how it stacks up against prior adaptations to what makes its new leading man so compelling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II steps up as the new John Creasy.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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From the moment we meet Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s Creasy, it\u2019s clear he\u2019s about to take us on a wild ride. His backstory is rooted in the trauma of losing his entire CIA team under his command, a burden that ultimately drives him away from the agency and into depression. In the present, he\u2019s a stony, emotionally distant veteran who prefers to operate alone, which Abdul-Mateen II plays up well in setting up his redemption arc once he\u2019s forced to let down his guard and rely on others again.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The series doesn\u2019t always do a stellar job of balancing Creasy\u2019s mental state (he often freezes up when hit with a flashback of his deceased team) with all the chaos he\u2019s surrounded by, but the few glimpses we do get into his inner world are some of Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s best scenes, in my opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As an action star, Abdul-Mateen II is undeniably magnetic in his take on John Creasy. He may not mirror Washington\u2019s version exactly, but I\u2019d argue that he doesn\u2019t need to in order to make this show a compelling watch. He\u2019s just as convincing in his ruthless pursuit of justice, and equally as brutal as he methodically takes down his adversaries across the series\u2019 seven episodes. The actor\u2019s performance is especially effective in his character\u2019s loyalty-driven mission for revenge as he vows to protect Poe at any and all costs \u2014 even if it means sacrificing himself. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Taking on such an iconic role isn\u2019t easy, especially after someone like Washington made audiences so attached to his \u201cMan on Fire.\u201d Still, Abdul-Mateen II proves that he put in the work to honor the film and Quinnell\u2019s novel while making this character his own.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Abdul-Mateen<\/picture><\/div>\n
Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy in Netflix’s “Man on Fire”; Denzel Washington as Creasy in Tony Scott\u2019s 2004 film of the same name.<\/figcaption>
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Netflix\/ Everett Collection<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

How does Netflix\u2019s adaptation compare to others?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Critics have been quick to draw comparisons between Netflix\u2019s \u201cMan on Fire\u201d and the fan-favorite 2004 film, with many still preferring the latter. Although both projects pull from Quinnell\u2019s 1980 novel, Netflix\u2019s version also incorporates elements from its 1992 follow-up, \u201cThe Perfect Kill,\u201d offering a different interpretation that weaves in a few recognizable nods \u2014 particularly for fans of Washington\u2019s movie.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In this take, Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s Creasy travels abroad and ultimately steps into a bodyguard role of sorts when Poe becomes a target, similar to the arc of Washington\u2019s Creasy, who was assigned to protect Dakota Fanning\u2019s Pita before her kidnapping. The new series does include a kidnapping plot of its own, though it\u2019s a bit more layered, as Poe is briefly taken hostage because she witnessed who supervised the bombing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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According to a <\/span>ScreenRant interview<\/span><\/a> with director Steven Caple Jr., several more of these subtle Easter eggs are sprinkled throughout the show as a tribute to Scott and his work. Fortunately, this adaptation doesn\u2019t try to replicate every single beat of its predecessor. Sure, it may be similar, but it\u2019s still a fresh enough take that audiences can appreciate.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Abdul-Mateen<\/picture><\/div>\n
Abdul-Mateen II as Creasy and Billie Boullet as Poe Rayburn in “Man on Fire.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s where \u201cMan on Fire\u201d succeeds.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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One of the most striking aspects of the show isn\u2019t just Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s performance, but the way the series brings Rio de Janeiro to life as more than a mere backdrop for the action. It takes us deep into the favelas (the city\u2019s low-income communities) to spotlight the local people, who also play a vital role in the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The relationship between Creasy and Poe is also another standout. It\u2019s not the same tender bond that Washington\u2019s Creasy and Pita had, built from the former coaching the young girl for her swim meets or spending quality time with her. However, Poe and Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s Creasy have both endured devastating losses, and that shared trauma draws them closer as they rely on each other to survive. It\u2019s this emotional dynamic that propels Creasy through his most dangerous challenges to protect Poe, giving us another reason to root for him.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What could have been better?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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At a certain point, every episode of \u201cMan on Fire\u201d starts to feel like its own mini-movie, weighed down by so many overly intricate subplots that it\u2019s hard to keep up. The series doesn\u2019t truly find its footing until the final stretch, when the real culprits behind the bombing mystery finally come into focus. Even then, though, it feels like the show could\u2019ve cut out some of the antagonists pursuing Poe to reach that point more efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In the end, \u201cMan on Fire\u201d makes for a solid binge if you\u2019re in the mood for a more expansive story. Still, Washington\u2019s version is likely to remain the definitive adaptation, even if the series gets another season to prove itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Abdul-Mateen<\/picture><\/div>\n
Abdul-Mateen II as Creasy and Alice Braga as Valeria Melo in “Man on Fire.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Will there be a second season?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\u201cMan on Fire\u201d clearly positions itself to continue in the final moments of the finale, as Creasy is handed a new assignment in Mexico City that calls for his particular skill set \u2014 seemingly a callback to the team he lost there in the series opener.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019s evident that Killen and the creative team have bigger plans for Abdul-Mateen II\u2019s Creasy that could warrant a second season. There\u2019s just the question of who will return alongside him. Either way, it leaves plenty of reason to look forward to seeing him back in action.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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All episodes of \u201cMan on Fire\u201d are now streaming on Netflix.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n