Ladder 49

Year: 2004 Rating: PG-13 Overall Evaluation: 9.0 Significance Suppositions Story Style 10.0 / 10 10.0 / 10 6.5 / 10 9.0 / 10 Click HERE for evaluation criteria.

Style

Rated PG-13 for intense fire and rescue situations, and for language. Nothing gratuitous, pretty realistic - some drunkenness and jokes about how silly it is to be a virgin, etc.

Story

This is a powerful story about the career of a rookie firefighter told in flashback form. It is a fairly typical story and rather slowly paced - you need to be ready for a two hour drama, not an action-adventure. But it is worth the time.

Suppositions

The worldview here is one of honor and it powerfully asserts the value of human life. It is completely believable and true to life.

Significance

The message of this film is loud and clear: we are to honor those who risk their lives to save others as it is a noble thing to do. It is pro-family (even a hint of anti-homosexuality - amazing!), pro-work ("I'm not a hero - it's my job"), pro-love (real love, not just sex romps), pro-friendship (real friendship, not idiot frat boy friendship), even pro-religion (albeit in a typically American noncommittal and non-affecting way). It is inspiring, and shows that heroes are formed from recognition of duty and honor - not super powers.