BACKDRAFT is mildly entertaining and actually more fun to laugh at than it is to take serious. My favorite part of the film is when we're introduced to a mystery arsonist who's killing people using a technique called "backdraft". It seems that the fire is somehow held inside a room magically and then when the victim opens the doors the fire backdrafts all up in their shit and punches them like 50 feet through the air. It also makes a howling noise like a dragon having sex with an iceberg. Fire investigator Robert De Niro is sent in to investigate the murders and he talks about fire like it's an actual living thing I was totally into it. It was silly as fook, but still fun to daydream that this is some kind of firefighting crossover into the Conjuring Universe.
Overall, BACKDRAFT is very dated, the story is in dire need of a re-write, the special effects are alright, the firefighting scenes are unbelievable, the entire thing looks like a movie, the acting by the impressive cast (not Baldwin) was solid. Also, I was confused as to why multiple times the firefighters arrive at the scene of a large fire, then they immediately station themselves on the floor above the fire and then have to quickly escape because the floor is caving in.
Not the greatest thing I've even seen, but it was an interesting ride and a lot of you to randomly yell "Backdraft!!!" while watching. It's fun look back at early 90's big studio action/dramas. I love to daydream that somebody actually took this film serious. We also get to see the guy from IRON EAGLE's pubes!!!
Oh yeah, I like when the one firefighter heroically says, "The fire never got me." then dies 15 seconds later from a fire-related injury. Awesome.
Part 2 - Backdraft II (2019)
Strange how they removed old Iron Eagle's pubes for the blu-ray.
