In Netflix's Man on Fire, Special Forces-trained mercenary John Creasy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) gathers a group of friends by finding an unusual excuse for remorse and personal redemption. This series, filled with cooking montages, long walks along the Brazilian coast, and revenge plans, takes a classic mission story in a completely different direction.

This seven-episode series, adapted from A.J. Quinnell's novel, significantly diverges from previous adaptations. While Creasy was portrayed as a cruel and ruthless character in the 1980 book and earlier film adaptations starring Scott Glenn and Denzel Washington, here the story centers on his forming friendships with people he meets along the way instead of seeking successful revenge. Series creator Kyle Killen's vision blends the challenges of older men making new friends with the popular series formula of the time.

After an operation in Mexico City leads to the death of his entire team, Creasy suffers deep trauma. Four years later, he is in ruins: plagued by night terrors, self-medicating with alcohol during the day, and living an unemployed life in a cargo warehouse. After attempting suicide, Creasy wakes up in the hospital, where his old friend Paul Rayburn (Bobby Cannavale) pulls him into providing security in Brazil during the election period. This journey becomes an opportunity for Creasy to see that his original mission is much easier than he thought.

The series transforms the classic "bloody revenge" theme into a soft ensemble film format. More appealing to fans of shows like The Night Agent, this production may not meet expectations set by Killen's previous short-lived series Lone Star and Awake. Man on Fire offers a rather cheerful and unstructured beginning instead of a sophisticated portrait of violence.

Woven with montages, this series appears to be a starting point revolving around Creasy and his unexpectedly weakly developed team. It can be seen as a limited ambitious series made to follow a damaged mercenary and the strange collaboration dynamics surrounding him, but it may not be considered successful in many other aspects. Netflix's approach has lightened the dark atmosphere of the original material, opting instead for a vision of a friendship drama.