Is it possible that after more than thirty years, Backdraft is still the best movie about firefighters? You would think that someone would use the advancements in special effects to make something even flashier and more melodramatic. And you would be wrong. Although there’s one movie about firefighters that’s much much better than this one but more about that later. Right now, I want you to put on your heavy-duty boots, and fire-proof jacket, and grab your axe because we’re going in. Backdraft is a cheesy, melodramatic firemen saga oozing with machismo that still manages to be both entertaining and engaging.
It’s definitively a movie worth watching, if for nothing else, than for all the action scenes. And now you can see them in their 4k Remastered beauty as this is the version I suggest you watch. Never before or after have I seen such realistic and insanely good footage of buildings burning. I mean, the cameramen wore fireproof suits and just wandered through the flames to capture the best possible shots. They weren’t the only ones who’ve done some pretty wild things. Scott Glenn was actually on fire during one of the scenes and firefighters had to spray him with water as soon as it was done. On top of all of that, that’s what’s happening in real life!
And not just that because the firemen also have duties to rescue people and put out those flames. So, if you ever wanted to see just how fucked up and dangerous it is to be a fireman watch this movie. Oddly enough, a lot of people chose this intense profession purely because of this movie. A couple of months ago, I watched the 9/11: One Day in America documentary and it left me in awe of the bravery of these people. Just like all big movies of the nineties, Backdraft doesn’t have just one main story, it has several all converging into one giant mess. This is why the running time is a hefty two hours and ten minutes.
And yet, I wasn’t bored for one minute exactly because there’s so much stuff here. We will be following Brian McCaffrey, a young fireman who just joined his brother’s unit. Stephen McCaffrey is a legend among Chicago firefighters and a guy who’s a bit too overprotective. Soon, both of them will find themselves in the middle of a series of strange arsons. And they will have to get to the bottom of this conspiracy before it claims their lives. Standard-issue stuff complete with the big showdown in a big chemical plant. The director is Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code), a man who knows how to both tell a story and make it entertaining.
The real story, however, is much more authentic and grim. Screenwriter Gregory Widen was a real firefighter who lost his friend due to a backdraft. That tragic experience marked his career, and life, and prompted him to write this movie. A movie that I’m sure all firefighters across the world know how to appreciate. This is why I feel a bit conflicted with what I’m about to write but I have to be honest with you. After more than thirty years, some of the scenes in Backdraft are just plain old ridiculous. They went above and beyond to show us just how masculine and macho firefighters are.
And this was completely unnecessary! I mean, we already know that! It’s in the fucking job description. And yet, they have to light up a cigarette while putting out actual fires and do other dumb shit. Again, I have no doubt in my mind that some firefighters actually do this. Stephen McCaffrey, played by Kurt Russel, lives on a boat, alone, because of course he does. I’m just talking about the general vibe here. There’s also a lot of something that I call emotional milking, scenes that exist solely to elicit an emotional response. Especially during the last twenty minutes. All of this is somewhat balanced by one hell of a cast.
In the lead role, we have William Baldwin, who was surprisingly good after the first few bumpy scenes. It’s funny to think that he beat none other than Brad Pitt for this role. William also says that firetrucks honk their horn every time they seem to this day. And then we have the man, the myth, the legend, Kurt Russel playing his brother. Kurt is so good that he actually plays his own father in this movie, sporting a cool seventies stache. And would you take a look at this supporting cast: Robert De Niro, Donald Sutherland, Scott Glenn, and Jennifer Jason Leigh? Of course, probably the best supporting actor there is, J.T. Walsh is also in this movie giving another excellent performance.
Finally, if you’re looking for other good movies about firefighters, you simply must watch 2017’s Only The Brave. Based on actual events and featuring an all-star cast and top-notch visuals, it’s a freaking masterpiece. I am yet to check out Ladder 49 starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta but it seems like a decent flick. A somewhat cliched but still decent flick you might want to check out. Oh yeah, I almost forgot there’s a sequel to this movie, Backdraft 2 starring both William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland. It’s a straight-to-video sequel that might warrant if you’re a fan of the original.
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Gregory Widen
Cast: Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Scott Glenn, J.T. Walsh
Fun Facts: Many of the extras are real firefighters and on top of that the character Robert De Niro plays, Don Rimgale, is a real-life arson investigator with the Chicago Fire Department’s Office of Fire Investigation.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101393/
