Man on Fire - First Episode
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, Man on Fire premiered on Netflix. The British writer A.J. Quinnell, a pseudonym for Philip Nicholson, created the stories about the elite soldier Creasy, who struggles with post-traumatic stress after a failed mission. In 2004, the first part of his books was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington, which became a box office success.
In the series, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down) plays the lead role as John Creasy. He is asked by his army comrade Paul Rayburn (Bobby Cannavale, Third Watch) to help him with a security job in Brazil. The president is in the midst of an election campaign and wants important projects protected from terrorist groups. Calm and safety need to be projected.
Rayburn knows that his friend still lives with many fears, but he believes that by getting back into the discipline of work, Creasy can overcome his problems. He also introduces Creasy to the local taxi driver Valeria Melo (Alice Braga, Queen of the South), whose contacts will later prove useful. Creasy has to jump into action when Poe, the teenage daughter of the Rayburns, witnesses a bombing and is the only one who can identify one of the perpetrators.
Creasy must protect Poe (Billie Boullet) from the terrorists who, of course, want to eliminate her. Furthermore, the question is whether the local police can be trusted and which organization is exactly behind the bombing. In the Brazilian slums, Creasy goes on the hunt for the perpetrators.
The story clearly deviates from the movie. That film took place in Mexico City, while this time Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, serves as the backdrop for the action. Back then, it was a nine-year-old girl who needed protection, and a close bond formed between her and Creasy. In this first (of seven) episodes, there is little foundation for a deep friendship to be seen.
The first episode offers enough action scenes to keep watching. Furthermore, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is convincing as the protagonist; he has the physique of a real action hero and portrays the troubled army veteran excellently. All seven episodes range from 42 to 59 minutes and were released simultaneously on Netflix, making it ideal for binge-watching.
About the writer, Karzal
