You can tell that this movie; that is based on a true story, has a lot of reverence for the Granite Mountain Hotshots. They are in fact heroes after all, and the movie doesn't make us forget that. There are scenes where characters literally proclaim out loud how they are heroes, just in case you suddenly forgot. It's a little bit too on the nose to the point of being over indulgent, but hey they make it work. The movie also goes out of it's way of hitting us over the head about how much these group of fire fighters and their families are such a tight knit-group of people, that they are able to overcome their differences and flaws, and came together as one family. Like I said, a bit too on the nose, but hey they make it work.
As much as I said that this movie shows a lot of respect for the Granite Mountain Hotshots, this unfortunately only focuses on a few of them. Josh Brolin as the "supe" Eric Marsh, his wife Amanda as played by Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller as Brendan McDonough. All three actors are amazing in this though, and they hit the drama really well. Taylor Kitsch does get a good amount of attention as Christopher Mackenzie as well, but the rest of the hotshots are really just background characters. Kinda wished it was more of a true ensemble cast, but it would have been a completely different movie if they did that.
This story that features Marsh and McDonough is really good though, as it plays on the underdog themes of the characters and for the hotshots. They are the true heart of this movie, and it is very compelling, emotional, and inspirational. There's a lot to like about this story, from the aforementioned character arcs, the fire fighting scenes, and the incredible final acts. With that said, the plot progression is admittedly very familiar, predictable, and kinda emotionally manipulative. However, it was easy to just get sucked into this tale, and get wrapped up in all the reverence. I guess that's what really counts in this movie experience.
lovedit ENJOYED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
