With seasoned writer Graham Yost ("Broken Arrow," "Speed") participating to an unknown extent in his uncredited role, the rookies were relatively left alone to make this film. Purely formula driven, most of the fault can be blamed on the people behind the camera who are new to their respective film making roles.įormer cinematographer Dean Semler (Oscar winner for "Dances With Wolves") makes his directorial debut, while writer Chris Soth delivers his first produced screenplay. Unfortunately, most of that element is squandered away in this film as those characters and the fire in general are used just as backdrops for a repetitive and mediocre plot about an escaped convict and his cohorts. A movie about such characters would appear to be an exciting prospect as we'd see those brave souls risk their lives as they faced mother nature at her worst. While such an occupation on the surface sounds foolhardy - most people flee fires and don't jump into them - it's obviously a treacherous, demanding and seemingly self- sacrificial job. OUR TAKE: 2 out of 10 At the beginning of "Firestorm," 20th Century Fox's latest entry in the firefighting genre, we're told that out of the 30,000 (forest) firefighters in the country, only 400 or so are trained to parachute into the blazes. SUZY AMIS plays a toughened, ready for anything ornithologist who finds herself taken hostage.WILLIAM FORSYTHE plays an escaped convict who kills many people, including those who are helping him.HOWIE LONG plays a serious and dedicated firefighter who puts his life at stake to fight the fires and to save Jennifer.WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For violence and language.
Much of that depends on how much of a draw former football star-turned actor Howie Long turns out to be. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Preteens won't, and it's questionable how many teens will. Literally jumping into the fire, Jesse finds himself battling not only the blaze, but Shaye and his men as he tries to save Jennifer before a deadly firestorm overtakes all of them. Accompanied by several other prisoners, Shaye takes a lost ornithologist, Jennifer (SUZY AMIS), hostage as he and the others set their plan into motion. He faces a new challenge, however, when Earl Shaye (WILLIAM FORSYTHE), a convict imprisoned for a daring and deadly train heist, uses a raging forest fire to plot his escape. Led by his long time mentor, Wynt Perkins (SCOTT GLENN), Jesse has successfully battled many blazes. Forest Service "smoke jumper," a firefighter who parachutes into forest fires to help extinguish them. PLOT: Jesse Graves (HOWIE LONG) is a U.S. QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: A firefighter must deal not only with a raging forest fire, but also an escaped convict who's taken a woman hostage in the middle of the inferno. (1998) (Howie Long, William Forsythe) (R)
0 kommentar(er)
