Best Firefighting Movies. Firefighting movies, a favorite past time in any fire station during a slow shift. Of course, we all love it when there is a new firefighting movie coming out. We can’t wait to see it. We quickly learn that some are better than others. It seems most of the time the effects fall short of what it is “really like” in a fire. But let’s be honest, they are all entertaining. So here is the Fire and Axes top five firefighting movies, and a few honorable mentions.
10.) Fireproof (2005)
Kirk Cameron, low budget movie with an awesome message. I think the think that resonates most with firefighters in this movie isn’t the firefighting, it is the honesty about what the job can do to a marriage. The message gets this on our list of best firefighting movies.
9. Firehouse Dog (2007)
8.) Ladder 49 (2004)
I know that some of you are saying “why do you have it at 5!” Awesome movie, Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta. Hard to beat Joaquin’s character going to the station on his first shift and Travolta pretending to be drunk. The scenes aren’t that bad on the realistic scale, but I guess if it looked real we couldn’t see them acting. My biggest hang up, he dies. Firefighters don’t have to die in these movies.
7.) Towering Inferno (1974)
This movie makes the list if for no other reason that is has Steve McQueen, come on, it can’t be that bad with him in it. It also has Paul Newman, Faye Dunaway and if that isn’t enough Fred Astaire makes an appearance. It is very 1970’s with cheesy effects and ranks really low on the realistic scale but a very cool movie. Did I mention, Steve McQueen is in it! Gotta be on the firefighting movies list because of the acting line up.
6.) Hellfighters (1968)
John Wayne, the man. This movie is my all-time favorite. I always wanted to be a “blowout specialist”. I dreamed of doing in real life what they are doing in the movie, so for me it is my favorite. Yep, as cheesy as you’d think it to be in a 1968 movie, but in 1968 it was cool. It is cool today, again, John Wayne.
5. Woman on Fire (2016)
4. Burn (2012)
3.Only the Brave (2017)
2.) Backdraft (1991)
Kirk Russell, William Baldwin and Robert DeNiro. This movie gave us some of the best one liners from any firefighting movie ever. “You go, we go!” and who hasn’t gotten in the engine, slapped the dog house and yelled “Bonsai!” Yea I guess it has parts that are kinda cheesy but come on, this movie sold more firefighter shirts than any other firefighter movie, everyone wanted a firefighter shirt with the Backdraft vie poster picture on it. One of the best firefighting movies of all time, even though he dies in the end.
I guess my list wouldn’t be complete without a few honorable mentions.
Frequency (2000) with Dennis Quaid. I know it didn’t really revolve around the fire service other than the main character was a firefighter, but it was still a really good movie. And last, but certainly not least for me would be Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor. Lee Majors, the Six Million Dollar Man. This was a made for TV movie and is actually based on a fire in LA in 1988 at the First Interstate Bank building.
The only question that bothers me is where is Steve Buscemi? This guy is an awesome actor and was an actual New York City firefighter for a time, this guy has got to make a firefighter movie!
Well this is just one guys opinion, but I hope it gets you interested if you haven’t seen some of these. Stay safe!
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