It’s rare for a story with such a brutal and violent edge to have such a heartfelt message at the core. The Netflix show is truly something special. Ultimately, this deeper level makes Netflix’s Man on Fire a must-watch.

Abdul-Mateen’s Creasy can get wooden at times and, thus, won’t clear Denzel Washington’s high bar with those familiar with the 2004 IP. But there’s no denying he’s put in the work to earn respect in his own right, especially with newcomers.

It occasionally feels like there are too many side characters for the show to successfully juggle, especially when their subplots borrow time away from the most interesting parts of the narrative, but none of them ever overstay their welcome. What Man on Fire does ultimately succeed as a showcase for, amidst the narrative's twists and turns, is Abdul-Mateen II's undeniable magnetism as both a leading man and an action star.

Not a patch on the Washington/Scott film, but a decent watch in its own right, with a formidable Yahya Abdul-Mateen II performance at its centre.

It’s not a non-stop cavalcade of action: it regularly relents for extended, talky scenes concerning Creasy’s instability or Poe’s grief. Sometimes the combination is powerful. .... Man on Fire’s glowering intensity is, however, hard to take seriously.

Adaptations are meant to breathe new life into stories that once charmed or intrigued audiences, bringing them to new audiences. Instead of achieving this, “Man on Fire” unfortunately turns out to be another case of pondering the existence of an adaptation entirely.

Man On Fire feels like it’s going to be seven episodes of filler and tortured monologuing between action scenes, which doesn’t exactly make for entertaining television.