Backdraft
1991, Drama/Mystery and thriller, 2h 17m
47 Reviews 100,000+ RatingsWhat to know
It's not particularly deep, but Backdraft is a strong action movie with exceptional special effects. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey, Dennis McCaffrey
Brian McCaffrey
Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale
Ronald Bartel
Jennifer Vaitkus
John "Axe" Adcox
News & Interviews for Backdraft
Critic Reviews for Backdraft
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (12)
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Backdraft truly shows us fire the way we've never seen it before.
August 16, 2017 | Full Review… -
"Backdraft" is a spectacle worth observing; it may also generate a little more respect for firemen, everyday heroes who don`t need the movies to polish their image.
July 10, 2017 | Full Review… -
The film exploits Chicago's terrain of ethnic neighborhoods, political turf, and glorious modern architecture, but it has trouble when it comes in close to the personal level.
February 5, 2008 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review… -
Backdraft has some of the raw filmmaking excitement that has been missing from Howard's recent work.
February 5, 2008 | Rating: B | Full Review… -
Visually, pic often is exhilarating, but it's shapeless and dragged down by corny, melodramatic characters and situations.
February 5, 2008 | Full Review… -
Visually speaking, the film does pretty well with fire-as-spectacle, less well with everything else (Howard tends to trot out fuzzy-toned Spielbergian backlighting on any pretext).
February 5, 2008 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Backdraft
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Sep 27, 2015I have enjoyed this film for a long time and I am one of the biggest fans of this film, especially since I have admired firefighters since I was very young and I appreciate what those brave heroes do for us every day and night. My admiration for firefighters increased even further after the September 11th attacks. Now, this film is good for the most part. But, there are some goofs in this film, like firefighters not donning their breathing apparatus in certain parts. All in all, just well done and I had little to no complaints! Just LOTS of fun to watch! :-) Good job, Ron Howard, the cast and crew! Nothing else to say . Just a good popcorn muncher of a film!David T Super Reviewer
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Feb 16, 2015The crime-thriller, family-drama and action hero elements of the film rub up against each other rather than meshing, but the skill that went in to the filmmaking behind Backdraft is irrefutable.Gimly M Super Reviewer
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Aug 08, 2014The fire effects have held up remarkably well, but that's about the only thing of note. This notion that fire is a "living breathing thing" and is essentially the the film's main villain ( I'd argue Scott Glenn was just a henchman) is entirely too stupid to forgive.Alec B Super Reviewer
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Jul 27, 2013Pretty solid, classic style of the 90s action movie. This film has too much "showboating;" it takes so long to get around to the actual firefighting sometimes, instead focusing on the family drama (which is needed and interesting, but still doesn't really hit an effective crescendo) and the brothers' relationships with their girlfriends/families (which is important in the case of Russell's character, but clearly extraneous in Baldwin's case). So these outside story arcs are necessary to some extent but they're focused on in too much detail considering that most of them are barely relevant to the story. The actual firefighting is really cool, and serves as a testament to firefighters' bravery. The backdraft aspect is really cool, plus I like how De Niro's character analyzes how the fires are started. Now if they had focused more on the firefighting itself rather than all the other shit, and maybe cut a few minutes off this film, it could've been more entertaining and had a better flow. As is, it's still a pretty interesting film, and worth checking out once at least.Stephen S Super Reviewer
Backdraft Quotes
| Stephen McCaffrey: | You go, we go! |
| Martin Swayzak: | You see that glow in the corner of your eye. It's your career dissapation light and it's going into overtime. |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | If anyone's lights are about to go out, believe me they are yours. |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | [Steven enters after having saved a child from the fire] Man, that was pretty crazy, huh? |
| Brian McCaffrey: | I waited. I would've waited. |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | Come on, don't worry about it. |
| Brian McCaffrey: | But you did it man. You did it all the way. You were really a hero. |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | Brian... its not about being a hero. I went in because there was a kid up there. I do what I do because that's my way. And it was Dad's way. Maybe it's not everybody's way. |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | You go, We go ! |
| Stephen McCaffrey: | You go, we go! |
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