Synopsis
Firemen brothers Brian and Stephen McCaffrey battle each other over past slights while trying to stop an arsonist with a diabolical agenda from torching Chicago.
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Cast
- Kurt RussellStephen McCaffrey
- William BaldwinBrian McCaffrey
- Robert De NiroDonald Rimgale
- Donald SutherlandRonald Bartel
- Jennifer Jason LeighJennifer Vaitkus
- Scott GlennJohn 'Axe' Adcox
- Rebecca De MornayHelen McCaffrey
- Jason GedrickTim Kirzminski
- J.T. WalshAlderman Marty Swayzak
- Anthony Mockus Sr.Chief John Fitzgerald
Recommendations
- 75
Chicago Sun-Times
What I regret is that all of the expertise lavished on this movie couldn't have been put at the service of a more intelligent story about real firemen, real working conditions, real heroism, and the real craft and art of fire-fighting. - 75
Entertainment Weekly
Fire, as this movie makes clear, is nothing if not photogenic, and Howard has done a beautiful job of conjuring both its danger and its deceptive, primal beauty. - 60
TV Guide Magazine
Not only do the firefighting scenes evoke a feeling of gritty authenticity, but the fire itself really does seem to be alive. - 60
Variety
Visually, [the film] often is exhilarating, but it's shapeless and dragged down by corny, melodramatic characters and situations. - 50
The New York Times
While Mr. Howard ably maintains a strong forward momentum, Backdraft often feels directionless beneath its overlay of frantic activity. One clear story line would have been worth more than a series of subplots and tangents. - 40
Austin Chronicle
Absolutely marvelous special effects are the salvation and the curse of this movie. - 40
Chicago Reader
Howard, as usual, seems bent on mixing genres to make several movies at once--monster movie, crime movie, coming-of-age movie, and action-adventure movie (among others)--yielding an overall narrative that's not boring but not especially suspenseful or focused either. - 30
The New Yorker
Gregory Widen's script is like a Mad parody played straight, full of "Scenes We Wouldn't Like to See."
