LADDER 49 (Theatrical Release USA 2004)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì 

Ladder 49—solid—employs action with suspense and drama to build a good watch movie. Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, and Robert Patrick make a surprisingly good casting team.  Character development is not deep, but the characters still manage to make a significant enough impression that one can keep them separate while following their lives and life activities, This is a good watch and gives a good look at teams who work closely together. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Firemen work courageously to rescue people and contain fire. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Jay Russell for directing efforts. Thank you to Producer Casey Silver for making the film possible. Cast includes: Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Morris Chestnut, Robert Patrick, Balthazar Getty, Jay Hernandez, and Jacinda Barrett. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This movie, a simple, straight-forward story, focuses on the teamwork, camaraderie, discipline, and courage that a fireman’s lifestyle employs. It’s a good family watch with good educational value and provides good, after-viewing discussion material.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (Theatrical Release USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.6|5.0 Starsììì Flags of Our Fathers—odd presentation—lacks cohesion with its 'all- over-the-place' story, little to no character development, and suitable but not great acting. Despite the hard-to-follow story, expect good fight scenes and highly graphic portrayal of war wounds.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Three men receive praise for raising a USA flag during World War II as a symbol of a great victory.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Clint Eastwood for his directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Lorenz for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), Ira Hayes (Adam Beach), Keyes Beech (John Benjamin Hickey), Bud Gerber (John Slattery), Mike Strank (Barry Pepper), Ralph Ignatowski (Jamie Bell), Hank Hansen (Paul Walker), and Colonel Chandler Johnson (Robert Patrick).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It is an okay watch but hard to follow with a 'messy' storyline. This Clint Eastwood film has a counterpart made by Clint Eastwood called Letters from Iwo Jima about the Japanese side of the story that is a much better made film than this film.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers