A DVD Review from Nick at Nite.

Ladder 49

This movie stars Steve McQueen as a firefighter who must deal with a blistering fire in a high rise building, no wait, that is Towering Inferno; this movie stars Kurt Russell as a firefighter who must deal with a blistering fire in a high rise industrial building, no wait, that is Backdraft; this movie actually stars Joaquin Phoenix as a firefighter who must deal with a blistering fire in a high rise industrial building. Although it doesn't make it a bad movie, there is no new ground here. While the central plot is not the same as Backdraft, many of the same plot devices are used. For example, probationary fireman is treating roughly, heavy drinking Irishmen get in a fight, fireman's best friend is killed, fireman has to decide is he going to be a fireman or is he going to be a fire investigator, it is basically Backdraft without the political intrigue. I saw Backdraft on a 75mm print. I loved it. I felt like I was in the fire. I saw Ladder 49 at home on DVD . . . it made it easier to skip the boring parts. If you feel like watching a fire and don't want to start one, rent Backdraft and you won't be disappointed. I give Ladder 49 an "A-" for fire scenes, I give it a "C" for everything else, I kick it out of school for violating the honor code and copying off of Backdraft's paper.