Backdraft *** (1991, Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rebecca De Mornay, Donald Sutherland, Robert De Niro, Jason Gedrick, J T Walsh.) – Classic Movie Review 11,534

Director Ron Howard’s 1991 American action thriller film Backdraft stars Kurt Russell as hotheaded but stalwart fireman Lieutenant Stephen “Bull” McCaffrey and William Baldwin as his younger brother Probationary Firefighter Brian McCaffrey, who fight blazes, battle each other and find out that someone is committing a series of arson attacks.

Howard’s so-so action thriller disaster movie, depicting the life and death struggles of Chicago firefighters, only really comes alight in the many spectacular fire sequences, which are convincingly realistic and exciting, with startling cinematography by Mikael Salomon and credible special effects courtesy the wizards at Industrial Light & Magic. The Visual Effects were Oscar nominated, earning Salomon one of his two Academy Award nominations, following his nomination for Best Cinematography for The Abyss.

But Gregory Widen’s screenplay has its weaknesses. The story is thin, obvious and manipulative, over-extended in a long running time of 137 minutes, while the villain is obvious far too early on.

Russell is a useful but stolid action star, while Baldwin makes a dashing youthful hero in his first starring part. Frustratingly brief cameos from Robert De Niro as the arson investigator Donald Rimgale and Donald Sutherland as the arsonist Ronald Bartel show how great actors differ from competent ones. Nevertheless, the performances and special effects are outstanding.

There are rotten, passive parts for the women, so Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rebecca DeMornay are wasted as as Jennifer Vaitkus and as Helen McCaffrey.

Also in the cast are Scott Glenn as Senior Firefighter John “Axe” Adcox, Jason Gedrick as Probationary Firefighter Tim Krizminski, J T Walsh as Alderman Martin Swayzak, Cedric Young as Grindle, Jack McGee as Otis Schmidt, Ryan Todd as Brian age 7, Johnny Baker as Brian Stunt double age 7, John Duda as Stephen age 12, Clint Howard as morgue attendant Ricco, David Crosby as 70s hippie, and Tony Mockus Sr.

Backdraft is scored by Hans Zimmer, and features two songs by Bruce Hornsby.

The main actors went out on calls with real Chicago firefighters and went to the Chicago Fire Academy to learn how to be like firefighters.

Filming in Chicago began on 23 July 1990 and wrapped on 8 December 1990. The film was released on 24 May 1991 and was a major hit, grossing $152.4 million on a $40 million budget.

It received three Oscar nominations: Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects (Mikael Salomon, Clay Pinney, Allen Hall, Scott Farrar) and Best Sound (Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Gary Rydstrom and Glenn Williams).

A sequel, Backdraft 2, was released 28 years later on 14 May 2019, with Baldwin and Sutherland back as Brian McCaffrey and Ronald Bartel.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,534

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