Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison is a rookie in a firehouse where they risk their lives on an almost daily basis to save the lives of others. He has to handle the heckling and all the pranks pulled on rookies as he makes the transition from inexperienced rookie to seasoned veteran. His life also slowly evolves into something more meaningful as he meets Linda and they are soon married. While his job is a strain on their relationship at times, they begin to build the perfect life with children and happiness as he struggles to cope with a risky, demanding job that often shortchanges his wife and kids, he relies on the support of his mentor and chief, Mike Kennedy and his second family, the brotherly bond between the men of the firehouse. But when Jack becomes trapped in the worst blaze of his career, his life and the things he holds important -- family, dignity, courage -- come into focus. As his fellow firemen of Ladder 49 do all they can to rescue him, Jack's life hangs in the balance.

It’s hard to not be enamored with this movie as it probably gives a very accurate portrait of what it is like to be a firefighter. It basically unveils the life of Jack as he finds himself in dire straits. It shows his love for the job, his love for his family and basically the hero within him that runs into burning buildings while everyone else is running out. For that part of the movie it is very good because I have a hard time remembering a movie that developed its main character any better as you are given almost a fish eye view of the life of Jack Morrison. It almost made me wonder whether the character was really based on a true person or how much research they did with real firefighters.

But that only made the movie good and not great what makes the movie fail at being great is how long and drawn out it is. The movie is basically the character development of one person while heaping praise on all fire fighters who risk their lives to save others. This has its downside as while they mix quite a bit of humor as well as action into the midst, I found myself at times being bored by the long delays in between the action. You already have a sense of Joaquin Phoenix’s character and the movie just seems to take to long to move onto more exciting events. I also just wasn’t impressed with John Travolta as he just never seemed to come off as a firefighter to me and it seemed like every time he was on the screen the movie just kind drug as he never really fit the role. I have to give praise to Joaquin Phoenix though as he really does make you believe he is a firefighter and you can just feel with him in his time of need. What the movie probably needed to do was add a little more humor as well as action to lighten up all the drawn out scenes and it would have been a lot better. Don’t get me wrong the movie is good, but it is not as great as some may make it seem.
3.5 stars out of 5