Movie-Ladder 49

Ladder 49 (2004) was a pretty good flick, a bit manipulative of emotions, but it did it effectively, and was a tearjerker because of it.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a firefighter trapped in a huge industrial building fire, it plays through a series of flashbacks showing his start as a firefighter, his friends in the force, his marriage and kids, his dedication to his profession. Interlocking these flashbacks is the present day, as his fellow firefighters are desperately trying to extricate him from the burning building, led by his friend and mentor, played to good effect by John Travolta.

The movie does get sappy at some points. It does not show the many mundane and routine calls firefighters get. Every call in the movie is fraught with danger. I'm not saying that there are not dangerous calls, but there are also many that are just fairly run of the mill also.

The surprising thing, that sets the movie a bit apart from typical fare of this kind, is that the rescue of this man fails. They do not triumphantly pull him out of the building just before it crumbles. There is no chance to save him, and the crews have to all pull out. He knows he is going to die trapped in there...and all his comrades know it too.

Like I said. The movie is pretty good. A little too emotive, too many soaring strings playing on the soundtrack. But overall, a good movie.