Ladder 49 (2004)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mike S

  
  All my life, I've always wondered what it would be like to work as a firefighter. The excitement, the comradery and the opportunity to save lives. There's so many things that makes it an appealing career-choice. This movie captures it all really well, and gives you a good… More
  All my life, I've always wondered what it would be like to work as a firefighter. The excitement, the comradery and the opportunity to save lives. There's so many things that makes it an appealing career-choice. This movie captures it all really well, and gives you a good sense of what life must be like for these every-day heroes. Through some top notch directing and the dynamic chemistry between its cast members (with Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta at the peak of their talent), we are treated to a highly absorbing experience, filled with humor, action and intense dramatic moments. Quite sad in a lot of places, but a movie that I'm glad I gave the chance. Because what I had initially dismissed as a standard-type drama, actually had a lot more to give than I gave it credit for. So if you're gonna watch a movie about fire-fighting, this is definitely the one to go for.

• Dean !

  
  A very good, action drama about the life of a firefighter seen in flashbacks. It's quite entertaining, seeing him work his way from rookie to the experienced fireman and how things change over the years. A very fine cast it has to be added and the fire, action scenes are really… More
  A very good, action drama about the life of a firefighter seen in flashbacks. It's quite entertaining, seeing him work his way from rookie to the experienced fireman and how things change over the years. A very fine cast it has to be added and the fire, action scenes are really good. Well worth checking out.

• Jeff "

  
  Quite possibly the worst Joaquin Phoenix film. Ladder 49 is a crappy drama film with overused cliches and we've already seen it all before. A bad Fireman film this is just a pointless excuse for a film. I view this film as a Backdraft ripoff, it borrows from many plot elements… More
  Quite possibly the worst Joaquin Phoenix film. Ladder 49 is a crappy drama film with overused cliches and we've already seen it all before. A bad Fireman film this is just a pointless excuse for a film. I view this film as a Backdraft ripoff, it borrows from many plot elements from that film. Ladder 49 never really does anything very dramatic as it follows closely every dramatic cliche in the book, in other words; we've seen it all before. A total waste of time and definitely not a good film. A film with bad script, bad acting and bad plot, this is a film to miss.

• ♥Robyn

  
  Given what happened to the firefighters in New York after the World Trade Center attacks, it was inevitable that a film showing the heroism of firefighters would arrive on screen..i gave it a five as i found it edge of the seat stuff.. An everyday hero recalls his life as he is… More
  Given what happened to the firefighters in New York after the World Trade Center attacks, it was inevitable that a film showing the heroism of firefighters would arrive on screen..i gave it a five as i found it edge of the seat stuff.. An everyday hero recalls his life as he is forced to look death in the eye in this adventure drama. Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) is a young firefighter who is a member of Ladder Company 49, led by Capt. Kennedy (John Travolta), a tough but compassionate man who looks upon his fellow firefighters as his family... well i think it is hard to make a bad fire fighter movie.. this has a real tear jerker ending...bring out the tissues on this one girls!

• Wahida K

  
  Everything they know. All that they love. Is what they risk every day.

• danny d

  
  in one sense, i feel like more films should be made about this subject. in another sense none will ever probably be as good as backdraft.

• Anthony L

  
  I really thought this film would suck big time but I found it quite entertaining!

• Luke B

  
  A fair tribute to brave firefighters, clearly detailing the struggle between career and family. It shows the fears and cheers that come with the job. From the very beginning we get a sense of real family within the firehouse, from the practical jokes to the way they deal with tragedy.… More
  A fair tribute to brave firefighters, clearly detailing the struggle between career and family. It shows the fears and cheers that come with the job. From the very beginning we get a sense of real family within the firehouse, from the practical jokes to the way they deal with tragedy. The tragic scenes also come suddenly and show just how unpredictable such a job is. Unfortunately the film almost tries to do too much. There is a lot being juggled about here, with most of the supporting cast not given their due. Hernandez's character is particularly pointless, having about 2 lines and used to really just show a passage of time. The ending is also unfortunately cheesy with some poor indie rock track playing with slow motion clips. Luckily the intensity of the majority of the film keeps it interesting.

• Film C

  
  omg i was blubbering so much its a relly good but powerfully emotional film if you dont watch it then you will be mssing a truly excelant film

• Derek A

  
  Ladder 49 is a tragically heart-warming story about a firefighter who gets trapped in a horrible fire. The movie is told through flashbacks which serves to introduce us to our protagonist: Jack Morrison (played by Joaquin Phoenix). The direction is effective, and it serves to tug on… More
  Ladder 49 is a tragically heart-warming story about a firefighter who gets trapped in a horrible fire. The movie is told through flashbacks which serves to introduce us to our protagonist: Jack Morrison (played by Joaquin Phoenix). The direction is effective, and it serves to tug on our emotions. Joaquin continues to impress me, but everyone else comes up flat. None of the roles were convincing except Joaquin's. It was almost like they were just reciting the script with no emotions. I feel that the rating for this film is inflated by so many because the ending is extremely powerful. It's a memorable climax that will more than likely bring tears to your eyes if you allow yourself to get enveloped into this endearing film. HOWEVER, I can't help but to feel this is playing off the emotions of people from the aftermath of September 11th. After 9/11 firefighters became an icon of heroism, and the makers of this movie cashed in on this theory. All in all, this is a pretty good film. If you have family members who are firefighters, then this film will hit home for you. It's a wonderful tribute to firemen... but I personally felt a lot of the scenes were fairly generic. It's a poorly acted tearjerker that I wouldn't watch again.

• Jens S

  
  The movie starts right away with the huge fire catastrophe that has a good fireman (Phoenix) cornered in a burning building. Sadly, it then steps on the break and, so far so understandable, tells us his story up to that point, coming to the brigade, meeting his wife etc. Sadly, those… More
  The movie starts right away with the huge fire catastrophe that has a good fireman (Phoenix) cornered in a burning building. Sadly, it then steps on the break and, so far so understandable, tells us his story up to that point, coming to the brigade, meeting his wife etc. Sadly, those private moments are pretty boring, the movie does not manage to create characters to care about. Only the rescue missions are somewhat entertaining. The very anticlimatic ending makes everything worse, but I suppose that's all I should say without ruining everything. Celebrating the braveness of a profession is not enough reason to make a movie. Lame.

• E.J. B

  
  A moderately engaging, at times funny tribute to firemen.

• Al S

  
  Scorching thrill-a-minute-action. A riveting and powerfully moving movie. Stunning, magnificent and breathtaking. An excellent film that sets the screen on fire with drama and emotion. Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta give teriffic performances. It will have you on the edge of your… More
  Scorching thrill-a-minute-action. A riveting and powerfully moving movie. Stunning, magnificent and breathtaking. An excellent film that sets the screen on fire with drama and emotion. Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta give teriffic performances. It will have you on the edge of your seat. It will blow you away. Szzeling and unforgettable. Makes Backdraft look like puppy chow.

• Dan S

  
  Pretty powerful, traditional, though.

• Bobby H

  
  It was a pretty good movie, but I think it skipped around alot. Too me, it seemed like there was some pointless scenes that just stretched the movie far beyond what it should of been. But besides that, since Backdraft, I've been waiting for a movie too atleast try too compare,… More
  It was a pretty good movie, but I think it skipped around alot. Too me, it seemed like there was some pointless scenes that just stretched the movie far beyond what it should of been. But besides that, since Backdraft, I've been waiting for a movie too atleast try too compare, and it did it for me (for the most part) not quite, but it's worth watching a few times!

• Daniel P

  
  I was on a plane, and had nothing else to do but watch the damn thing... and I still couldn't stay with it the whole way!

• Aliyanto L

  
  Touching and it's a matter we have to deal in every each of us oneday!

• Dean M

  
  Joaquin Phoenix makes an appealing performance in this constantly wailing Irish pipes undermine a sturdy action drama. The fire effects are impressive although this lacks the monster-blaze finale of <i>Backdraft</i>.

• Jason S

  
  Good. Make it a double feature with Backdraft.

• Leigh R

  
  Really good film.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings