Watch Backdraft
- R
- 1991
- 2 hr 12 min
-
6.7 (89,400)
Backdraft is a 1991 action-thriller movie directed by Ron Howard and starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, and Robert De Niro. The film follows the lives of two brothers, Stephen 'Bull' McCaffrey (Kurt Russell) and Brian McCaffrey (William Baldwin), who work as firefighters in Chicago, USA. Bull is a veteran firefighter who has been involved in numerous dangerous and heroic rescues throughout the years, while his younger brother, Brian, is a rookie with a fiery ambition to make his mark in the firefighting industry.
The story begins with the McCaffrey brothers responding to a fire at a high-rise office building, where they witness a fellow firefighter fall to his death in front of them. This tragedy leaves Brian shaken and determined to find out the truth behind the fire and the death of his colleague. Bull, on the other hand, sees the tragedy as just another day's work and does not spend his time analyzing it.
As a series of deadly fires break out in the city, the brothers' investigation uncovers a connection between the fires, a corrupt businessman named Donald Rimgale (Robert De Niro), and an arsonist known as "The Axe." The Axe sets every fire to arson, and his patterns are difficult to follow. The brothers find themselves in a race against time to stop the arsonist before he strikes again, and they put their lives on the line to extinguish each fire.
Throughout the movie, the two brothers face several conflicts, both internal and external. Brian struggles to gain respect from his older and more experienced brother, Bull, and has to prove himself as a competent firefighter. Bull, in turn, grapples with the demons of his past and the ghosts of the fallen firefighters he could not save. The tension between the brothers grows as they both individually try to win the fight against The Axe.
As the mystery behind the fires is uncovered, the movie's action intensifies. Bull's and Brian's lives hang in the balance as they fight to prevent further carnage and apprehend the culprit behind the deadly fires. The climax of the movie is an explosive and thrilling firefight between the brothers and The Axe, with the lives of numerous people at stake.
Backdraft is a thrilling movie that features excellent action sequences, an explosive storyline, and impressive special effects. The movie showcases the bravery of firefighters and highlights the danger and the risks that they take every day. The film's cast delivers strong performances, particularly Kurt Russell, who shines as the veteran firefighter who is haunted by past mistakes. William Baldwin gives a convincing performance as the ambitious rookie firefighter who battles to prove himself to his older brother and colleagues.
The movie's technical aspects are impressive, particularly the special effects during the many firefighting sequences. The fires look realistic and terrifying, and the movie's sound design adds to the intensity of those scenes. The score by Hans Zimmer is excellent and adds to the film's high-energy atmosphere.
Overall, Backdraft is a thrilling and exciting action movie that explores themes of redemption, brotherhood, and sacrifice. The movie is a testament to the bravery of firefighters and gives viewers a glimpse of the strength and courage they possess. Ron Howard's direction, combined with Kurt Russell's and William Baldwin's fantastic performances, makes the movie a must-watch for fans of action thrillers.
Backdraft is a 1991 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 12 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 38.