Ladder 49 (DVD, 2005, Widescreen)

In this movie we follow the career of a brave firefighter, is there any other kind? We watch the lives of the firefighters in the Baltimore Fire Department. John Travolta does a wounderful job as the chief. And Joaquin Phoenix is cast as the young fireman, our protagainst. Jacinda Barrett play's his lovely young fireman's wife.

The film starts with an action packed fire where our hero gets trapped within the burning building. It is from here that we see his ten years carreer through flashbacks. We see the relationships and bonds between the firefighters and their families. Like anyone else, they fall in love and have families. But of course unlike most families, everytime the firefighter goes to work, we never know if he will return home. Like any high pressure and dangerous job, there is a lot of camaraderie and good-natured fun among the men. And of course a special bonding that only that kind of envrionment can bring on.

The real star of this movie is the fires. They are all consumming and very unpredicatble. But we watch as these men run into burning buildings, when all others run out. Why do they do such a thing? Because they may be able to save someone. It this over whelming desire to help others, regardless of the cost to themselves that make them heros. And I would like to say Thank You to all the Firefighters out there.

Ladder 49 starts with a fire in a large Baltimore factory where multiple firemen have charged to look for survivors and extinguish the posing threat.

Lead by seasoned veteran Jack Morrison (Pheonix), the firemen are able to rescue a helpless employee before the floor gives way trapping Morrison within the building inferno. As Jack lays there helpless awaiting the rescue from his peers, we are sent back in time via the Hollywood standard flashback to understand what brought Jack to his present peril. We see Jack as he enters the fire hall for the first time and meets Captain Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) who takes the new probie under his wing and over the years develops a bond that includes being there when Jack gets married, has kids and steps into the shoes of a search and rescue firefighter who perishes when a roof gives way during a routine house fire. We learn how the firemen bond, how they drink together rather heavily and regularly and how when they lose one of their own, the emotional impact on them and their families

Don't get me wrong, all the above drama plays out while buildings burn, people are rescued from skyscrapers and people are saved from what would be sheer death if not for the charging brave souls of the local Fire Department. There is enough action to keep the younger audiences looking for the quick rush occupied while enough firemen running around in tight t-shirts to keep the women equally transfixed.

But it is the story that sets this film apart from any other firefighting film in memory. We get a good glimpse into the lives of the men and portrait of a young man learning the ropes and growing within the culture and environment that can be sometimes loose and playful only to become serious and deadly at the sound of a bell. Director Jay Russell (My Dog Skip) packs an emotional punch that doesn't try and suck it out of the audience with an unexpected end. Instead, we see Jack being trapped in the opening sequence and we can pretty much see the writing on the wall before the tragic events play out before our eyes.

This movie was great. Maybe not as good as backdraft but diffenitly more factual.
Under the watchful eye of his mentor Captain Mike Kennedy (Travolta), probationary firefighter Jack Morrison (Phoenix) matures into a seasoned veteran at a Baltimore fire station. Jack has reached a crossroads, however, as the sacrifices he's made have put him in harm's way innumerable times and significantly impacted his relationship with his wife and kids. Responding to the worst blaze in his career, he becomes trapped inside a 20-story building. And as he reflects on his life, now Assistant Chief Kennedy frantically coordinates the effort to save him.

This is one of the worst movies I have ever wasted several precious hours of my young life on.

It is nothing but a cheap attempt to cash in on 9/11 with a few big name actors.

The plot was uninteresting and disjointed. The characters were superficial and shallow. The cinamatography was nothing special. I can find no redeeming value in this movie.

Ladder 49 is not nearly as good as other firefighter movies, like Backdraft. Backdraft had a story, some characters, excellent photography of the fire, and overall was interesting and fun to watch.

Don't waste any of your valuable time on this shoddy film.

Awesome movie...Hottie John Travolta comes out! I'm a dvd addict, if I've seen the movie once and loved it I MUST own it! There are some tear jerker scenes in the movie, but overall very good movie! Worth buying and I'm sure you'll see it over and over!