Thursday, October 21, 2004

Ladder 49

Fire Fighters: These are people who cannot afford to be late and cannot get distracted off their goals (especially short term). In this movie, it is shown how much these people love their jobs. They take up these jobs just because they want to help people and save people's lives. Obviously, not everyone of them is like that but yes, all of them have guts.

In a few places in the movie, the fact that they are so brave as to run in to a building when all the others are running out is mentioned and shown. Their sole aim is to save others lives and they stick to it. One very good scene is when Jack ( Joaquin Phoenix) saves a man by climbing down from the terrace with the help of a rope, when there is a TV reporter covering the scene from a helicopter. This movie tells us that when they save lives, nobody thinks about them and their family and what they would be going through. We are so indifferent that sometimes we even say, "that's what is their job, so it's alright". Yes it is their job, but even they are human beings like all of us.

When one reads the name John Travolta, in the credits, he/she is bound to expect acting of the highest class but in this movie there is not much scope for innovation in terms of acting. This doesn't mean that the acting is not good, it is good enough to keep you interested and make you 'feel' the movie. It really makes you understand the emotional side of their life.

The movie starts with Joaquin Phoenix, and a few others, going into a burning building. He gets trapped alone in the building and there is more destruction. The most important thing is that he saves a man from dying but is on the verge of dying himself. He then thinks about his life so far, after joining the fire brigade. The screenplay is really good and the shift from the present to the past is smooth and at the right situations.

Travolta, Phoenix, Jacinda Barrett and all other actors look good and really fit their characters perfectly. When you go to watch this movie, don't expect a thriller or an action packed movie. It is just a peep in to the life of these heroes and it has been depicted very well.

It is tough to predict how this movie will do at the box office, but it will surely be a hit with people who expect to see something valuable and thought provoking, during the two hours at the cinema. The movie is surely worth watching for- the direction, screenplay and acting.

Ladder 49: Official Website.

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Lots of things have happened since my last post. Met new people, had good food and had lots of fun. Work is getting slightly hectic, so I haven't been able to update my blog.

Went to meet a few friends at Coffee Day today and got free passes for a preview show of this movie. This is my first movie review and I would appreciate comments and suggestions on how to analyse the movie, how to structure the write-up and how to write better.

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