Metascore

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 12 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

  • Starring: Donald Sutherland, Kurt Russell, Robert De Niro, William Baldwin
  • Summary: Stephen McCaffrey (Russell) and his younger brother Brian (Baldwin) are two feuding siblings carrying on an heroic family tradition in the Chicago fire department. Stephen is so relentless that he drives Brian out of firefighting and into arson investigation. Brian becomes involved in a puzzling series of arson attacks, each ignited by explosive phenomena known as backdrafts. Before the smoke clears, love affairs are rekindled and lives are shattered as the McCaffrey brothers fight to resolve their differences and solve the mystery. (Universal) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Negative: 4 out of 12
  1. 75
    What I regret is that all of the expertise lavished on this movie couldn't have been put at the service of a more intelligent story about real firemen, real working conditions, real heroism, and the real craft and art of fire-fighting.
  2. Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    60
    Visually, [the film] often is exhilarating, but it's shapeless and dragged down by corny, melodramatic characters and situations.
  3. Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    60
    Not only do the firefighting scenes evoke a feeling of gritty authenticity, but the fire itself really does seem to be alive.
  4. Director Howard is so mesmerized by the flames, he squirts formulaic lighter fluid over everything. A conflagration of hyped-up movie cliches, courtesy of George Lucas's Industrial Light & Magic special effects shop, scalds your face.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. I love Backdraft it's my alltime favorite firefighter movie this movie is claer cut of how a ood cast,great direction and story plus jaw dropping fire scenes filled with special effects can amke a movie so good.Backdraft's storyline starts out in familar territory then begins to tread on unexplored areas of storytelling.The cast in this film is as much of a presence as the fire.Ron Howard who reallys surprised me with this movie tis wasn't something he usually did bt he pulled it off wonderfully.That is why I gave this film a perfect score. Expand
  2. This movie is a very enjoyable watch... the critics are being far too harsh here!!! "you go, we go!" absolutely epic stuff... maybe i have a bit of 90's nostalgia but do urself a fav and check it ouy! Expand
  3. Thanks to a refreshingly straightforward story, stellar directorial skills from Ron Howard, and an absolutely mind-blowing set of special effects, "Backdraft" makes for a worthy blockbuster of the greatly intelligent kind. Expand
  4. It's definitely a good story, a poor performance on Baldwin but Russell does a good job, excellent special effects, and for those critics that say that there were too many fire in the movie I say HELLO!!!!! it's a firefighter's story, it's absolutely expected to see some flames in the movie don't you think? Well, it has a good plot and a great ending. Expand

See all 6 User Reviews

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