Ladder 49

This drama about firefighters surprisingly ignores the potential for action, instead focusing exclusively on the humanistic dimension of a regular guy’s life story – from enthusiastic young man to responsible father. The rescue of the imperiled protagonist, which is interspersed with flashbacks from his life, is at first off-putting due to its formulaic nature and lack of originality, but it eventually gains viewers’ attention, mainly thanks to the great Joaquin Phoenix. Ladder 49 is a small and, in comparison with Ron Howard’s Backdraft, simple “plotless” film, but it touches the viewer’s heart in an honest way. (08/11/2005)

The basic storyline is divided into two parts: the present (a huge fire in a building – perfectly shot, by the way) and the retrospectively narrated past, when the director introduces us to the past of Jack Morrison – the main hero of the story. But these two parts do not fit together very well and they feel like a weakly assembled puzzle. Throughout movie, there are only a few scenes that can captivate a person and somehow touch their heart. The rest is nothing but a cliché seen a thousand times over. (01/22/2005)

It's like the calendars have turned back to the early 1990s when genre films "for guys" were being made. The story went off track, and the emphasis was on sentimental speeches, true manly friendships that last forever, and a good dose of adrenaline-fueled but realistic action. That's exactly the category Ladder 49 falls into. It lacks none of the aforementioned. However, ten years later, even the "retro" memories want something more. The absence of a story, which has been replaced by unimpressive flashbacks of the firefighter's life, is not the main missing link. The film lacks a proper narrative structure, as with the increasing minutes, the stereotypical family pictures become as boring as the firefighting action, which, despite its well-balanced dose of audience appeal and realistic "documentary" approach, fails to truly captivate. The viewer's main enemy is the runtime, which is completely unnecessary given the subject matter and deserves to be cut, especially in the "family passages." Joaquin Phoenix may have been scared of his first proper leading role because in many scenes he gives the impression of a boy caught playing with matches in a hayloft. The more the audience might have been let down by the film's structure, the more they will enjoy the fantastic performance of John Travolta, who remains charming until his emotionally charged final speech that must have resonated with all moviegoers while comforting the mournful souls of the funeral attendees, as Ladder 49 is a pure celebration of the heroic performance of "its American boys." I would like to say (or write) that if you put on a tough smile and surrender to the film, you will immensely enjoy it. However, Ladder 49 is too scattered between a family soap opera and a film "for guys," making it difficult for the audience to fully immerse themselves and appreciate it. On the other hand, I must applaud the team of pyrotechnicians and stunt performers who ultimately provided the adrenaline rush. Although there wasn't much of it, some is still better than none. (07/09/2005)