Ladder 49 [Blu-ray]

Buy This Item Ladder 49 [Blu-ray] by Touchstone Home Entertainment  Available from Amazon  $23.95  on 11-4-2008     In paying simple tribute to firefighters, <i>Ladder 49</i> gets to the heart of those who risk their lives for a living. Director Jay Russell brought similar sincerity to his memorable family favorite <i>My Dog Skip</i>, and despite the banalities of an ultra-conventional screenplay by Lewis Colick, <i>Ladder 49</i> generates so much goodwill toward its Baltimore firemen that you may find yourself unexpectedly overcome with emotional appreciation for guys like Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter whose career, courtship, marriage, and fatherhood are viewed in flashback as he struggles to survive in the present-day framing scenes, cut off from his fellow firemen in the fiery guts of a collapsing 20-floor building. There are no surprises in the familiar scenes of male bonding, dangerous rescues, injury and death, and the supportive concern of Jack's wife (Jacinda Barrett), but by focusing on the simple integrity of Jack's personal and professional commitment, the movie gives Phoenix a showcase for unselfish virtue, while John Travolta provides dignified support as Jack's mentor and devoted firehouse captain. <i>Ladder 49</i> is routine in most respects, but it's a much-deserved valentine to working-class heroes. <i>--Jeff Shannon</i> Reader Reviews `Ladder 49' is tender and touching, a film that will tug at the heartstrings of just about anyone. If you're not at least on the verge of tears by the time the credits begin to roll then you may want to check you're pulse. That said, the weepy or sappy aspect of this movie at times can be a drawback, for it makes it come across overly sentimental and not quite `dramatic' enough to be realistic, but this is minor and for the most part the film connects well with the viewer. It's a film that is designed to get at you, to make you weep in the heroic acts of our men in uniform and their tragic sacrifices for our safety and betterment. In this respect it works quite well. In fact when I saw this film in the theaters when it was released we happened to have our local fire department present and I sat next to a few of them and after the film closed, with tears in all of our eyes, we shook hands and embraced and I thanked them for their bravery. This is the type of film that elicits your respect and heartfelt gratitude. The film opens with a savage fire engulfing a tall building. We are then introduced to the firefighters entering that building to rescue the men trapped inside. Within moments we watch Jack Morrison (our obvious hero) fall through the collapsing floor and all is black. Now we're in flashback mode and we get to watch Jack as he joins the fire department and we get to see everything that made him the hero we saw in the films blistering opening. We watch Jack get embraced by his fellow firefighters, meet and fall in love with Linda, become a father, lose friends to the flame; all the while we know that he is lying on his back in rubble waiting to be rescued. There are many moments within this film that work so beautifully. One in particular has stayed with me for quite a long time. There is a scene within the film where Jack Morrison and fellow firefighter Lenny Richter (Phoenix's `Walk the Line' costar Robert Patrick) receive medals of honor for rescuing a young girl from a devastating fire. This scene alone touched me deeper than any other scene in the film, even the emotional ending. It was simple, it was sincere and it was moving. It wasn't overly sappy or forced. It was a small act but watching that young girl hand them their medals was almost too much for me to bear up under. One great draw to this film is the impressive action sequences. The fire rescue missions are so realistic and breathtaking you feel as though you are there fighting the fire with them. One scene in particular where Morrison is searching through a smoke filled apartment you feel almost suffocated by the fumes. Director Jay Russell delivers beautifully in this respect. `Ladder 49' owes a lot to the acting as well. Phoenix is a little too `jolly' at times, kind of childish in the very beginning, but he grows into his character well. The rest of the cast though doesn't have any problems grabbing hold of their character from the moment the step on the screen till the moment their presence is gone. John Travolta, an actor I'm not generally impressed with, actually impressed me. As the Captain he manages to infuse enough humor into his dramatic and almost parental performance that he becomes relatable and very likable. Robert Patrick has perfected playing the jerk and he doesn't disappoint here. A jerk with a heart. Morris Chestnut is sorely underused, but he works well with what he's given. The true standout here though is the beautiful Jacinda Barrett who delivers an award worthy performance as Linda, Jack's long suffering wife. She portrays perfectly that mix of admiration and frustration with her husband's dangerous line of work. When all is said and done `Ladder 49' accomplishes what it sets out to do. It touches our hearts and makes us think about those men and women that risk their lives everyday so that we can feel safe. At times it may tug a little too hard or a little too often but it's a forgivable misstep in a film that is so likable and moving you can't help but pardon its minor error.

Ladder 49 [Blu-ray] Available from Amazon Price: $23.95 Updated on 11-4-2008.

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