Backdraft
Backdraft
Two feuding siblings carrying on a heroic family tradition as Chicago firefighters. But when a puzzling series of arson attacks is reported, they are forced to set aside their differences to solve the mystery surrounding these crimes.
匚卂尺ㄥ reviewedMarch 31, 2025
Ron Howard's 1991 drama "Backdraft" doesn't try to tread any new ground but instead executed an emotional story centered around the mysterious cases of arson going on around the city of Chicago and the firefighters answering the call, while the intense relationship between two brothers acts as the heart of the film. William Baldwin and Kurt Russell really sell the tumultuous relationship between Brian and Stephen as the youngest is looking to prove himself as a man by trying to be a firefighter, while the eldest is a stubborn, reckless, and broken man who uses his work as a firefighter to cope and is willing to put himself in complete danger to save others without realizing the threat it poses to his own team. The film really does create some captivating action scenes as the fires they encounter seem big, bold, and overall terrifying, and the film acts as a love letter to the men brave enough to fight fires for the protection of its citizens but also a romance letter to fire itself and the beauty within the horror. While the acting can sometimes be hammed up and Hans Zimmer's score seems more suited for a superhero film, the mystery surrounding the fires is very compelling and will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. This a film that reminds us of the risks these brave individuals take in order to keep us safe and the sacrifices of their own personal lives for our personal safety.