Backdraft

Ron Howard classic 1991 blockbuster, Backdraft, is not nearly as good as I remembered it to be when I first originally saw it. Sure, the special effects surprisingly still sort of hold up for what they are, but there are more flaws in this movie than I can count or list, but "sigh", I guess i might as well try and give it a try. Now, the difference between this film and the much underrated 2004 firefighter film Ladder 49, is that when Backdraft is piling on the special effects, explosions and spectacle, Ladder 49 is putting family, heart and soul first, making us learn about the characters and making us feel for them. When Ladder 49 attempts to realistically do firefighters jobs justice and actually depict the struggles and hardships that they have to go through, in order to keep us safe, Backdraft gives us some sappy and poorly written family drama that never really reaches fruition. But, the one thing that Backdraft actually does better than Ladder 49, is that when Ladder 49 is somber, depressing and sad, Backdraft is happy, upbeat and high on fun. Now, that is not what you would exactly expect from a firefighting movie, but Ron Howard, the special effects wizard at ILM, Kurt Russel, David Baldwin, Robert De Niro and Donald Sutherland make it work, and considering that the movie even manages to have such an impressive cast like that is already a plus on this movies side. So, with the R rating in hand, the content is pretty much as follows: there is frequent sequences of intense fire fighter rescue missions, with a few people being set on fire, burned to death and even a few rather grisly images of dead burnt bodies lying on tables in morgues. Also, there is infrequent but explicit sexual content, with one graphic but interrupted sex scene and a brief shower scene depicting the bare backs and buttocks of two naked fire fighters. Also, there is frequent alcohol use and consumption, and not to mention frequent smoking as well. And, finally, there is frequent strong profanity throughout the movie as well, with many uses each of f--k, sh-t, a--h-le, g-dd-mn, b-llsh-t and more. So, if you expect powerful performances, heart and great filmaking like Ladder 49, than don't bother. But, if you expect some pretty awesome special effects, a great cast and some very-well done action sequences, than you will get exactly that.