No Way Out: Gegen die Flammen

Fire fighting is something which we thing we know and in a way its not rocket science. So I was not expecting much from this movie.

It shows the journey of how a local fire fighting crew work up to become an Elite team that protects the inhabitants of a wide area.

The unpredictability of the fire and the kind of personality that a person needs to even be doing this job is what we see throughout. Its 2hrs 14mins, but I didn't realize how fast the time flew. The story was just so beautiful, and flowed meticulously.

Do watch it, whatever your tastes are, you definitely won't regret it.

Thanks for reading.

Only the brave didn't do too well at the box office and didn't receive too much press for award season, so it turned out to be not much of a success in both categories. However as a film, this is quite quality and overlooked. Based a a true story, with intriguing characters and an intriguing plot, there is a real pull within its story.

Josh Brolin is great as the lead in charge of the firefighter crew, though it is Miles Teller who shines in his role. These last few years, he has proved to show range in several different roles, yet he seems to be quite underrated in terms of the general perception.

Having fought wild land fires in Bastrop, TX and being in similar situations as this movie depicted, it was definitely personally emotional.

I laughed, I cried, but at the end I but walked out speechless... The last 45 minutes of this film had me on the edge of my seat. The way all the characters have a special personal touch to them makes this film all more special! I wont spoil the movie, but bring a tissue box, the ending had me in all the feels!

"Only the Brave" (2017 release; 133 min.) brings the story if the Granite Mountain Hot Shots fire squad. As the movie opens, "Based on True Events" we are reminded, we get to know Eric Marsh and his gang, as they are trying to get certified as Hot Shots, allowing them to combat wild fires in the front line. We also get to know Brendan, a doped-out loser whose girlfriend just got pregnant. Realizing he needs to turn his life around, Brendan applies to join the fire squad and for reasons unknown until much later in the movie, Eric decides to give Brendan a shot. In a parallel story, we also get to know Eric;s wife Amanda, a horse whisperer. But not all is well in their marriage... At this point we are 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from up-and-coming director Joseph Kosinski, who previously directed "Ton: Legacy" and "Oblivion". In his latest, he steers away from sci-fi and instead brings us the incredible story of the Prescott, AZ wild fire squad, nicknamed the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. I expected a disaster movie, and there is certainly that too, but the movie does much more than that: it brings the story of a group of people in a way that you are completely emotionally invested in those people, and you CARE. Kosinski directs an all-star cast, headed by Josh Brolin as Eric. Is it just me, but Brolin only seems to get better as he is getting older. That guy is just solid and authentic. Miles Teller plays the role of Brendan, an unlikable character at first. Jennifer Connelly is outstanding as Eric's wife Amanda. Taylor Kitsch is one of the guys in the fire squad. In much smaller roles, Jeff Bridges is Duane (Eric's superior), and the ageless Andie MacDowell plays Duane's wife. The movie's photography is eye-candy, and the wild fire scenes, which I imagine are mostly CGI, look very real to me. Last but not least, there is a very nice musical score, courtesy of composer Joseph Trapanese (who has worked with Kosinski before).

"Only the Brave" opened wide this weekend, and I was really looking forward to seeing it. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended only so-so (less than half a fairly small theater), somewhat to my surprise, given the stellar critical acclaim this movie has been getting. I can only speak for myself, but I found this to be an outstanding wild fire disaster movie that packs an emotional wallop I didn't expect. I encourage you to check out "Only the Brave", be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

This movie really captures the essence of a rural/local fire team, the friendship, the lack of resources, doing your best in times when it may not be enough.

Super storytelling that builds on the characters and their responses to the epic events that confront them.

This movie opts for an honest telling, rather than the often over-hyped overly dramatic style many filmmakers opt for. The result is a story you can connect with.

Excellent film.