The Film
After a string of light-hearted fare, such as Night Shift, Splash, and Gung Ho, Ron Howard spread his directorial wings with the drama Backdraft. In case you haven't been counting, it's been nearly 20 years since Howard's 137-minute emotional ode to our nation's firefighters was released, so Universal is marking the occasion with the Backdraft: Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray.
The star of the film is the fire, but there are plenty of side stories. Most notably, we have Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey (Kurt Russell) and Brian McCaffrey (William Baldwin), who are brothers and links in a long chain of McCaffrey firefighters. There are also the stories of a brotherhood within the firehouse, significant others, a crooked politician, and even a serial arsonist. It's a mind-bending amount to take in. However, it all goes back to those fire scenes, which are nothing short of amazing.
If Howard chopped a few things out, it could have been a tighter, better movie. Of course, that's hard to say, too. Removing even one little morsel could have left excellent performances on the cutting room floor. Today, when you see an all-star roster, it's pretty much a recipe for disaster. Maybe that's because most "supporting" casts don't feature Scott Glenn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Donald Sutherland, J.T. Walsh, and Robert De Niro.
Considering the amount of acting talent squished into every frame of Backdraft, it's a bummer that the film is so darn hokey. That should not keep you away from this film, however. Otherwise, you just might miss some of the best action scenes ever captured on film.
The Picture
Universal has unleashed this "Anniversary Edition," promising a remastered, high-def image. The 2.35:1 transfer has a bit of soft imagery in some of the wider shots, which certainly reminds you of the film's age. Those few incidents, as well as the occasional on-screen fleck, may prevent it from getting our recommendation as home theater demo material. However, it's pretty darn close. During the film's many action scenes, the fire creeps and dances with bold oranges and deep blacks. It truly is an amazing, detailed sight to watch those tiny embers float. Close-ups are also strong on this transfer, especially in post-fire facial details. William Baldwin's finely coifed hair should get its own acting credit. De Niro's hair pops really well too, especially in one scene where he is bent over. Who knew he had highlights?
The Sound
The image may not be perfect, but Backdraft's audio certainly is. The DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers great dialogue and nice ambient sounds. Just when the movie starts to get mellow, the roar of the fire engines and those ear-piercing sirens are a huge wake-up call. However, there are two things here to really punch you in the gut: The film's score and the fire scenes. That score desperately reminds us that these guys are heroes, and, in doing so, can be a little overly dramatic at times. That said, it's there and it sounds great, from an audio standpoint.
The fire is where the action (literally) is at. There are crackling flames, massive explosions, breaking glass, and the whoosh of the water, all of which completely take over the soundfield to shake the walls and envelop the viewer. It's impossible to imagine a better soundtrack for this movie.
The Extras
Ron Howard seems like a good guy, but he's a bit of a liar. Well, not really, but this release certainly is deceiving. In the director's 3-minute introduction, he reminisces about Backdraft and its production. He only has three minutes, so it's not all that detailed. However, in that brief time, he also promises new interviews and extras on this release. Not so. In fact, Opie Cunningham is talking about the film's 15th anniversary DVD, which is where this release gets all of its extras.
However, Universal doesn't have to try to fool anyone. Despite the lack of new material, this is a nice collection. There are bits about the cast, the production, and even the fire itself. Also, if you want to know what it's like to be a real firefighter, there's an interesting nine minutes with real guys telling real stories.
The film offers no commentary track, which is a bit of a shame. Instead, there's a picture-in-picture Scene Companion, which offers a few behind-the-scenes, stills and other tidbits. There's nothing too revealing in this collection. I actually preferred watching the movie without it.
Final Thoughts
Backdraft is riddled with predictable cliches created to tug at your heartstrings. It doesn't matter, though. It's still a good movie. The subject matter deserves to be romanticized to some degree and because of the incredible performances and action scenes, it all comes together nicely. Backdraft has held up well through the years, and this incredible Blu-ray presentation makes this one a must-have.
Product Details
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