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The story is told under several flashback sequences of a fireman, Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix), when he is trapped inside a collapsed department store in a fire. Although the main characters are Jack and his commanding officer, Mick Kennedy (John Travolta), the narrative downplays their personal contributions and levies considerable weights in the main characters' comrades in the Baltimore fire station as well as the whole team. This is seen from (1) the film's English title that refers to the team (Ladder 49) and (2) the preliminary expository sequence which devotes almost all shots on the fire fighting team's efforts in containing the blaze.

The narrative begins even before the graphic logo trailer sequence is fully shown. It opens with off-screen diegetic sound of radio communication between the control room and the deployed fire engine. This provides a complete narrative that briefs and focuses the viewer on the circumstantial setting in which the plot is substantiated before the narrative visuals are shown. The conventional filmic elements of blaze and exaggerated sounds of breath in a fireman's mask in fire movies are repeatedly used throughout. Music critically serves as narrative in the film. Where the fire causes death of firemen, a mournful and serious music is played before the visual narrative is shown. Where the fire does not constitute any danger to the firemen, a cheerfully rhythmic music is played, again, before the ending of the respective plot.

The flashbacks are a complete chronological narrative on Jack's transformation from a fireman trainee to a team leader and from a bachelor to a father. The functional role of Jack in the film is both a key subject of narrative and a medium (his memory) over which the narrative extends. Beginning with something unconventional in the use of the sound element, the movie ends with something spectacular in visuals: the epilogue is a montage sequence of the work of the fire fighting team.

With a different narrative emphasis from "Backdraft" (Dir: Don Howard, 1991), the film is about the same in visual excitement but more touching than its predecessor in narrative terms. It is a salute to our fire fighting heroes.

註：本評論純屬影評作者個人意見，並不代表本網立場。
Note: This views presented in this review is solely the views of the critic who wrote it and do not represent the stance of our website.

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