Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes on the formidable shadow of Denzel Washington in a visually striking but narratively uneven seven-episode series.
When Netflix dropped all seven episodes of Man on Fire on April 30, 2026, it was always going to be an uncomfortable question: Why does this exist? Tony Scott’s 2004 film, starring a ferociously committed Denzel Washington, made its way into action-thriller history on the strength of pure kinetic force. The third adaptation of A.J. Quinnell’s 1980 novel (after a 1987 film with Scott Glenn) requires a bold move from its creative team. One is from show runner Kyle Killen. Whether it entirely convinces is another matter.
A Story Worth Re-Telling – On Paper
The series follows ex-Special Forces mercenary John Creasy, who suffers from severe PTSD. He’s determined to beat his personal demons, but gets pulled back into violence before he can re-adjust to a new life. His estranged best friend Paul Rayburn (Bobby Cannavale) takes him in after a whirlwind mission leaves all his teammates dead. The skyscraper in Rio de Janeiro where Rayburn lives is destroyed by an explosion and Creasy is thrown back into the fire.
All seven episodes are written by creator Kyle Killen, the first four loosely based on Quinnell’s eponymous novel, and the other three on the sequel, The Perfect Kill. The series is set in Rio de Janeiro and takes full advantage of filming on site.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen Ii: Powerful, Not Flawless
The casting is where the most simple commendations for Man on Fire are found. If you’re looking for someone to helm a TV series and fill the larger-than-life shoes of Denzel Washington, it’s hard to find someone more qualified than Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. He captures several subtle mannerisms from Washington’s previous performance — a look, the way he tilts his head, the pauses between words.
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Creasy can be wooden at times for Abdul-Mateen, and will not clear Denzel Washington’s high bar for those familiar with the 2004 film — but there’s no denying he’s put in the work to earn respect on his own terms, especially with newcomers. And despite the narrative turns, the series ultimately is a showcase for Abdul-Mateen II’s undeniable magnetism, both as a leading man and an action star, Collider says.
Where the Series Went Wrong
The supporting cast is strong on paper, with Scoot McNairy, Alice Braga and Paul Ben-Victor among them, but there are just too many side characters for the show to juggle effectively, with subplots stealing time from the narrative’s most interesting parts, critics point out.
The overall issue is tone and visual. The show knows how to stage action well enough to stop you from clicking away, but action can only carry a thriller so far when the characters are paper-thin and the filmmaking is visually flat. The Guardian notes that Man on Fire’s glowering intensity is often hard to take seriously, with the series regularly relenting for extended, talky scenes about Creasy’s instability — sometimes powerful, sometimes not.
The Denzel Thing
This series is inevitable in any review. Tony Scott’s 2004 film was heavily criticized as too stylized. The Netflix version will attract the opposite complaint. The show doesn’t have the manic, sour energy of the earlier movie, and it doesn’t even try to replicate it. That artistic decision makes sense – if they imitated him, they’d be fired immediately – but the series doesn’t always find a suitable substitute for Scott’s visual intensity.
The Final word
Man on Fire opened to a Metacritic score of 61 out of 100 based on reviews from 21 critics, in the “generally favorable” range and receiving about as many positive as mixed notices. That sounds about right. This is a series with real assets: a committed lead performance, beautiful Brazilian locations, and enough propulsive action to fuel a binge-watch. It’s also a show that doesn’t justify its existence beyond the IP it’s built on.
If you’re new to the Creasy story, Man on Fire on Netflix is a perfectly watchable, sometimes gripping thriller. For those who have lived with the 2004 film, it will feel like a capable but scaled-down echo of something greater. The fire burns. Just not as hot.
Overall Rating: 3 / 5
