Squadra 49

While eating Taco chips at my parents house, I began thinking about this film. I thought this film will be more Hollywood schlop.

I am very happy to be mistaken. This film gave me a feel of what the fire fighter experience is like. I can not say for sure, for my idea of putting a fire out is the flaming aluminum foil at the family barbecue. This film had romance, fear, joy, and comaradary all rapped in one. Well paced directing, and even better acting. I wish John Taverlota would pick better films, like this one, more often ; what a great actor. Watch in the cheap theaters, for it is gone on the big ones, before the film hits DVD. 7 or 8 pot of 10. I like John T as the drunk chief.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a moving performance in "Ladder 49," playing a Baltimore firefighter who goes from rookie to 10-year veteran in the course of the story.

Although its chief selling point is its spectacular - but never hyperbolic - fire sequences, "Ladder 49" is actually at its most compelling when it focuses on the struggle firemen go through trying to balance their high risk occupation with their role as husband and father.

In addition to Phoenix, who brings a self-effacing strength and heroism to his character, there are fine performances by John Travolta as the captain of the station, and Jacinda Barrett as Phoenix's understanding but understandably concerned wife.

In the first half of the film, the screenplay threatens to erupt into a raging inferno of stereotypes and clichés, as the characters take an occasional time out from firefighting for puppy love romance at the supermarket, frat boy antics at the fire station and domestic squabbles involving neglected wives and children at the old homestead. But about halfway through the film, the deeper themes rise to the surface and "Ladder 49" begins to explore complex issues in a mature way. The quiet scenes between Phoenix and Travolta, and Phoenix and Barrett are surprisingly subtle, thoughtful and intelligently written.

It takes a while to get there, but "Ladder 49" turns out to be a tribute worthy of its subject.

Don't believe the negative hype being thrown around at this movie at all. It is quite simply one of the most extraordinary tributes out there without all the Hollywood-ization that you find in a lot of movies like this. This is as close to real life as you can pretty much get. While I wouldn't say this was a perfect movie nor did it revolutionize anything, I definitely liked it a lot! I thought the flashback sequence was pretty cool and that it panned out well in the end. There were some sad parts and just like in actuality they usually have to go right back to work the very next day. While John Travolta can put on some terrible performances as of late, he carried on tremendously throughout, especially during his speeches. Joaquin Phoenix is always somewhat good even if he's in a lackluster role which fortunately wasn't the case here. It was also great to see Robert Patrick in another civil service role (as it seems to be that he usually gets stuck with) as he is a vastly underrated actor. Overall a great film, I hope it gets a couple Oscar nods next year!

Final Count:

Movies: Worth the ticket price in every way!

DVD Purchase: Possibly, but it'll mean different things to different people.

Rental: Abso-positvely-lutely!

"Ladder 49" is by no means a bad movie and as a matter of fact, it's a professionally made production, with some good actors in it, but it's just that everything in the movie is very formulaic and all the typical clichés you could expect in a movie about firefighters are present here. The movie has no real surprises in it and because of that none of the emotions come over as real. Also compared to "Backdraft", this movie is totally obsolete. It adds nothing to the firefighter movie genre (..as if that even is a genre). "Ladder 49" and "Backdraft" are two similar movies in several ways but "Backdraft" is the better one simply because it has better emotions, character building and sequences featuring fire. It however is of course not fair to compare this two movie just simply because they both are about firefighters. I understand that "Ladder 49" and "Backdraft" are two different movie made with different intentions. However "Ladder 49" is self to blame for this constant comparisons. It copies elements and scene's from "Backdraft" and obviously tries to top the movie in every way possible. Mission failed though...

The storytelling isn't done in the best way. The non-linear storytelling wasn't the best choice for this movie. If the story was told in a more 'normal' way, the emotions and the ending would perhaps had worked better for me. I wasn't exactly grabbed by the story and its character and both were lacking. Not really the actors fault, blame it on the cliché filled script instead. It's obvious that the movie makers wanted to portray the firefighters as true heroes. If the script hadn't been filled with so many clichés, they might had succeeded in this.

The fire sequences were nicely made but to be honest they weren't anything thrilling or exciting. The true essence of the movie is on the characters and the dramatic moments but since the movie isn't exactly successful in this, the movie as a whole also quite isn't.

The musical score by William Ross was better than anticipated and Joaquin Phoenix is a wonderful actor. This truly were the two best elements of the movie.

Nicely made but as a movie not original enough and because of that also quite pointless. Just watch the Ron Howard movie "Backdraft" instead.

6/10

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Ladder 49 introduces us to the life of Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter for the Baltimore City fire department. Jack is assigned to Fire Station 33 as a pipe-man for Ladder 49. (Note: The pipe-man holds the water hose nozzle and sprays water onto the fire.) As a new probationary firefighter, Jack is assigned all the little jobs at the firehouse. Station 33 Captain Mike Kennedy (John Travolta), and the other veteran firefighters love to play jokes on the new rookies, including Jack. Captain Kennedy takes Jack under his wing to make him the best firefighter in the city. Time passes, and Jack is now a seasoned veteran on the rescue team. Ladder 49 has been called on a four-alarm fire to a burning 20-story building. Chief Mike Kennedy, his former Captain, is in command of the fire. Jack and the rescue team brave the fire to rescue anyone trapped inside. They save several people, and Jack continues to search for others. Jack finds a man and lowers him to safety, just before the floor collapses around him. Jack falls through the building into the middle of the inferno, and is rendered unconscious. When he awakens, Jack is able to radio to his men that he is alive. Now Jack is the one who needs to be rescued. Chief Kennedy coordinates the effort to save Jack. Awaiting rescue, Jack begins to relive his life with his wife and kids, and his career through flashbacks. If you like firefighter movies, you will like this one, because some of the rescue scenes are spectacular. The fire scenes capture the real dangers and unpredictability of a fire. One line in the movie states it all, 'Everyone is running out of a burning building and only the firefighters are running into the fire.' The movie shows how brave our firefighters are and why we should honor them. (Touchstone Pictures, Run time 1:55, Rated PG-13)(8/10)