Backdraft
by Ron Howard
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Robert De Niro, William BaldwinDirector: Ron Howard
Brand: Universal
Producer: Brian Grazer
Producer: John Watson
Producer: Larry DeWaay
Producer: Pen Densham
Producer: Raffaella De Laurentiis
Producer: Richard Barton Lewis
Writer: Gregory Widen
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Letterbox, 2.35:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1997-12-10
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Backdraft
Movie Review: The fire rages on in this thriller.
Summary: 4 Stars
Stephen McCaffrey (Kurt Russell) and Brian McCaffrey (William Baldwin) are both firefighters in the same unit. They are also brothers whose father died in the line of duty as a firefighter. Never having been on great terms with each other, they now have to work side by side, while Stephen is in charge. And the fires they fight are becoming more and more frequent and more and more dangerous because of the lack of firefighters thanks to the cities cut in manning due to supposed money issues. To top it all off, the fires are beginning to look a lot like an arsonist that is targeting certain individuals within the city.
While Backdraft might not be the best thriller out there, it is still a good one. Having not seen this movie since the theaters, I was caught in suspense until the ending because I had no clue who the arsonist was. Sure I had my guesses, but I was never sure. Kurt Russell was amazing as Lt. McCaffrey and as the brother of Brian. I could totally see Kurt being this firefighter for real. And even though Robert Deniro has a small role in this film, it is of course done with perfection. I could've done with a lot more of his character for sure. Willy Baldwin, he was ok. I'd much rather see him act than Stephen Baldwin for sure. Even the fire itself seemed like an actor itself in this movie the way Ron Howard filmed it. With it's creaks and groans and screams and sizzles, it just seems alive. I tell you what though, I'm still not a Donald Sutherland fan...heh. The only time I liked him in this movie was when he was up for parole and Robert Deniro started questioning him. That's when he shined, but other than that, I thought his acting was too goofy. Also, while I said Backdraft is a good thriller, sometimes it just feels a little cookie cutter. The way the investigation of the arsonist was being handled seemed like a straight rip off from Silence of the Lambs. And the bickering between the two brothers seemed kind of like "As the Firefighters turn..." And some of the actors just seemed wrong for their parts like Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rebecca De Mornay. They are ok actresses and all, but I don't know, they just didn't seem to fit in here. Maybe it's just me. One thing though that I did truly enjoy was the interactions between the firefighters. They seemed a lot like a family like I would imagine a firefighter unit to be. Joking around with each other when off duty, and working like a single person (most of the time) while on the job. Everyone just seemed to mesh really well with each other when it came to the firefighters.
In the end, I would say give this a rent, because I don't really see much second time viewing when it comes to this movie. Good movie though.
P.S.- I didn't even know this was a Ron Howard film until I saw his brother Clint Howard playing a Pathologist. Had to check then..heh.
Summary of Backdraft
An action-thriller depicting the nerve-shattering life and death struggles of todays firefighters. An arson investigation is the focus of this white-knuckle adventure. Bonus features: production notes talent bios and film highlights. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/06/2005 Starring: Kurt Russell William Baldwin Run time: 135 minutes Rating: R Director: Ron HowardA somewhat contrived screenplay doesn't stop this thriller from serving up some of the most spectacular fire sequences ever committed to film. Like any Ron Howard production Backdraft is impressively slick and boasts a stellar cast, including Kurt Russell and William Baldwin. The actors play sibling rivals who have been at odds since the death of their firefighter father years earlier. Robert De Niro is the veteran fire inspector who is tracking a series of mysterious and deadly arsons, and Donald Sutherland is effectively creepy as the former arsonist who understands the criminal psychology of pyromaniacs. Rebecca De Mornay, Scott Glenn, and Jennifer Jason Leigh are featured in supporting roles. Backdraft is a triumph of stunt work and flaming special effects. --Jeff Shannon
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