Netflix’s new crime thriller “Revenge” is better than Reacher — and Denzel.

“Man on Burning” is the story that first caught my attention, like many of you, when Denzel Washington She stepped into the role of former CIA agent John Creasey in Tony Scott’s 2004 action film. The story of this film, like… NetflixThe new thriller is based on AJ Quinnell’s book of the same name – the first entry in the five-book series.

The 2004 film is, for all intents and purposes, a solid adaptation, and thanks to the performances of Washington (who plays Chrissy) and a young Dakota Fanning, it has stood the test of time and remains a quality cast worth delving into.

Also, as with many of you, I’m shocked to say that Netflix’s episodic adaptation of Quinnell’s work is much better.

If you’ve been paying attention to the numbers, you already know that Man on Fire reached the top of Netflix’s streaming charts with 11 million views in its first four days on the platform. It was this news that prompted me to try out the show, and I was instantly hooked.

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Netflix’s Man on Fire is not a retread of the 2004 film because the series loosely adapts the original material. Taking a note from similar shows, like Reacher and Cross, Man on Fire takes its creative liberties while using books as a narrative foundation. And it works brilliantly.

This man on fire takes to the streets of Brazil, changing the conflict of the original story, while sticking to the basics of a volatile man who will do anything and everything to protect a girl pursued by gangs and terrorists bent on killing her. This is just one piece of a complex and violent puzzle.

If it sounds heavy, that’s because it is. But thanks to smart writing and the emotional resonance of the actors’ performances, the film is as engaging and honest as it is bloody.

You want to watch this beaten man go up in flames for this – he is Death wish For a whole new generation.

Abdul-Mateen plays Creasy in this performance, which takes the character’s backstory from CIA officer to PTSD-afflicted Special Forces agent, and from the beginning, the emotional stakes are viscerally present. They steadily intensify throughout each episode, justifying Creasy’s actions a la Jack Bauer, all with the motives of dispensing justice and taking down every villain he encounters.

Abdul-Mateen maintains a role of his own, and is quickly eliminating the remnants of Washington’s performance two decades ago. This is not an easy task. However, as we’ve seen with the roles the actor has played, from Doctor Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen to playing Candyman in the 2021 horror remake and The miracle man released earlier this year on Disney Plus, he had the range and skill of wearing his heart on his sleeve, no matter what his character had to do on screen.

In short, you can’t help but support Abdul-Mateen, which means it’s almost impossible not to support Chrissy.

But it doesn’t stop there. Every actor who appears on screen in Man on Fire is a legit fire (as the kids say). Bobby Cannavale indulges in a hot moment to remind everyone how great he is. Alice Braga, as Valeria, serves as a supportive counterpoint to Creasy’s reckless actions.

It’s Billy Bullitt as Beau, the teenage girl who protects Chrissie from every possible danger, who steals the show. It’s got the same kind of widespread emotional resonance that Fanning had against Washington, but it hits differently and better here. She is noticeably older than Fanning, and the character she plays is a departure from previous portrayals. This only works to her advantage, allowing her to find her emotional footing in the character. Ball paired with Abdul-Mateen is a perfect match, full stop.

Instead of being set in Mexico City, where Washington unleashed hell in Tony Scott’s film, this show sends Chrissie to Brazil. The Netflix series showcases the country’s beautiful, tourist-friendly areas, then flips them, taking us deep into the slums to explore a culture that’s often misrepresented.

The entire time I watched the show, I found myself moving closer to take in the surroundings of each scene. Was this shot in a studio in front of a blue screen or on location? I’m happy to say that it was filmed in multiple urban areas, such as Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. This tangible authenticity brings the story to life in a necessary way, embracing its reality rather than recreating it afterwards.

Oh, and did I mention how modern and violent the show is? I’ve done that, but it’s worth repeating.

This is Jason Bourne style, in the form of a TV show where each episode lasts about 40 minutes. If there’s a way to guarantee my attention and keep me glued to the screen for hours on end, everything I’ve just mentioned — from the writing to the acting and the guts in between — adds up to the perfect formula for doing so. If you’re like me and have read this far (so I assume you have), you’ll feel exactly the same way.