Ladder 49 (D+ or 1.5/4 stars)
Take some tissues with you to 'Ladder 49', an action/drama directed by Jay Russell. Firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) is trapped in the worst fire of his career. As this happens, he reflects on his life, his family, his career. I can't hate a film that celebrates and honors these courageous men, but 'Ladder 49' makes it hard for me to like it. I never thought a movie such as this could be dull ... it is. And it's also SO sad. I really couldn't wait for this to be over.
Capt. Mike Kennedy (a sturdy, if not scene-chewing John Travolta) watches as Jack Morrison matures as a firefighter in his Baltimore, Maryland fire station. Life changes for him when he meets his eventual wife, Linda (Australian actress, Jacinda Barrett) in a grocery store. From this point on, Jack & his crew fight lots of fires, talk lots of crap, attend plenty of barbecues and block parties, cuss, screw, & fight some more fires (saving lives in the process). They are heroes. But some years pass by and Linda worries about Jack's safety, she worries that he'll miss out on getting to know his young children.
Maybe because I know several firefighters & their families, wives, etc., I know that the depiction of firefighters in this movie is very, very accurate. They are dignified & brave. But my own experience with firefighters also made me incredibly bored by 'Ladder 49' for that exact reason. It's all too familiar, nothing was a surprise. At the climax of the film, trapped in a 20-story tenement, can Jack be saved? Bewildered, can Capt. Kennedy and his crew get him out in time?
The movie is shot well enough. Its slow-motion fire sequences showcase an obvious sense of danger. 'Ladder 49' adds 'some' dimension to Kennedy, Jack, and particularly, Linda. This enables us to care a bit more about them. It's also a weakness for me, as I felt like killing myself from depression after some turn-of-events in the plot. There's not much more to say. The only truly tangible thing I can add is that the movie takes no risks. It's unnecessarily sappy, it's boring, and it is predictable. I found it obnoxious for some reason. Just because it's natural to respect firefighters, doesn't mean the movie ABOUT them is good. Backdraft was an homage to firefighters, & even in post-9/11, 'Ladder 49' pales to Backdraft in practically every way.
Capt. Mike Kennedy (a sturdy, if not scene-chewing John Travolta) watches as Jack Morrison matures as a firefighter in his Baltimore, Maryland fire station. Life changes for him when he meets his eventual wife, Linda (Australian actress, Jacinda Barrett) in a grocery store. From this point on, Jack & his crew fight lots of fires, talk lots of crap, attend plenty of barbecues and block parties, cuss, screw, & fight some more fires (saving lives in the process). They are heroes. But some years pass by and Linda worries about Jack's safety, she worries that he'll miss out on getting to know his young children.
Maybe because I know several firefighters & their families, wives, etc., I know that the depiction of firefighters in this movie is very, very accurate. They are dignified & brave. But my own experience with firefighters also made me incredibly bored by 'Ladder 49' for that exact reason. It's all too familiar, nothing was a surprise. At the climax of the film, trapped in a 20-story tenement, can Jack be saved? Bewildered, can Capt. Kennedy and his crew get him out in time?
The movie is shot well enough. Its slow-motion fire sequences showcase an obvious sense of danger. 'Ladder 49' adds 'some' dimension to Kennedy, Jack, and particularly, Linda. This enables us to care a bit more about them. It's also a weakness for me, as I felt like killing myself from depression after some turn-of-events in the plot. There's not much more to say. The only truly tangible thing I can add is that the movie takes no risks. It's unnecessarily sappy, it's boring, and it is predictable. I found it obnoxious for some reason. Just because it's natural to respect firefighters, doesn't mean the movie ABOUT them is good. Backdraft was an homage to firefighters, & even in post-9/11, 'Ladder 49' pales to Backdraft in practically every way.