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4/28/2014

Backdraft (1991) - Ron Howard's giant, stupid Chicago-set firefighter movie



French poster for Ron Howard's Backdraft


A pair of brothers in the Chicago Fire Dept., one already a veteran there and the other one barely making his entrance in their world, trail in their father's footsteps, when a series of terrible fires are set off by an unknown, crazed arsonist.

 

Ron Howard's (Frost/Nixon (2008)) tries to make the broadest possible action-adventure here, and in this he succeeds. Is the story, fire philosophy (laid out by Robert De Niro's fire investigator) and general environment preposterous, and the characters thin and one-sided? Sure. But the camaraderie and going-for-broke, massive score and ambitious production width is enticing. Backdraft has solid photography, - by Mikael Salomon (Hard Rain (1998), director), - and very impressive fire scenes, with stunts that defy expectations and are worth the time in themselves. Donald Sutherland is a compelling lunatic, and you couldn't ask for better hams than Kurt Russell and William Baldwin's (The Squid and the Whale (2005)) as the film's brothers.

Gregory Widen's (Highlander (1986)) scripted. Backdraft may be a somewhat stupid film but it is also the kind of spectacle that you want to pull out and watch again with admiration nonetheless from time to time.


Related review:

Ron HowardA Beautiful Mind (2001) - John Nash given the Epic Treatment


Brothers (in the film) Kurt Russell and William Baldwin in their fire uniforms


Watch the overly long trailer for the overly long Backdraft here

Budget: 75 mil. $
Box office: 152.3 mil. $
= Flop

What are your thought on Backdraft?

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