The 11 Best Firefighter Movies of All Time
Only occasionally does Hollywood scratch the surface of reality.
Most times when you make a list of the best films of a particular genre, you struggle to decide which movies to leave out—which moves don’t quite make the cut. Other times, like when you make a list of the best firefighter movies, you wonder what to actually put in—which movies are actually good, which movies do the genre justice.
For a career field with a glut of TV melodramas, firefighting remains one of those cinematic genres relatively unexploited by filmmakers; for such a terrifying, deadly, and real phenomenon, Hollywood has been pretty crap at depicting it.
In an interview with GQ, FDNY firefighter Gregory Shepherd summarized NBC’s Chicago Fire like this: “[It] had a good understanding of what we may do, but they added a little too much Hollywood.” The description seems widely applicable. Cinema knows what firefighters may do but doesn’t always capture what they actually do.
This inability might be due to practical concerns of filming real fire or—at least an excuse in the past—limited VFX capabilities for capturing digital flames. But both of these obstacles now seem easily surmounted. And it’s not like there’s a dearth of intellectual property. There are hundreds of real harrowing stories to capture on film, which is maybe why the best firefighter movies so far have been documentaries. Still, Hollywood can do better.
Here are the best firefighter movies available to watch now.
Only the Brave (2017)
Based on the real-life story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, Only the Brave should be atop everyone's firefighter cinematic list. It's not just a great movie about one of the most dangerous jobs in America, it's also just a damn good piece of storytelling.
Burn (2012)
Burn is perhaps the closest us non-firemen will ever get to actually seeing what the job is like. The documentary follows Engine Company 50 of the Detroit Fire Department, responsible for an area with some of the worst arson rates in the country.
9/11 (2002)
In September 2001, French filmmakers Jules and Gédéon Naudet were shooting a documentary about the the Engine 7, Ladder 1 firehouse in Lower Manhattan when the first plane hit. What followed became some of the most thorough documentation of the September 11 attacks and perhaps the greatest firefighter documentary/movie/film ever.
Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor (1991)
This TV movie dramatizes the 1988 First Interstate Tower fire in LA, which destroyed five floors of the cities then-tallest skyscraper. It's maybe one of the best Hollywood dramatizations of a real urban fire.
Brave Are the Fallen (2020)
This recent documentary chronicles the life of firefighter Captain Tom Wall, who died in the line of duty. The film is directed by Wall's nephew and provides an intimate look at one fireman's calling.
Ladder 49 (2004)
While it may not be the best movie movie, Ladder 49 captures the terror and trauma of fire. It's often compared to another film on this list, though it seems to avoid some of the spectacle and frills of that entry.
Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232 (1992)
Based on the 1989 emergency landing of United Airlines flight 232, Crash Landing may not be a straight firefighter movie, but it nevertheless seems to accurately dramatize the real events, both from the perspective of the flight crew and the emergency response teams.
Backdraft (1991)
Some love it. Some think it's Hollywood garbage. Still, we can agree that this 1991 thriller gave us some terrifying practical effects and a small look into what entering a burning building might actually be like.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
Steve McQueen and Paul Newman star in this classic disaster movie. We're not sure how accurate it is firefighting-wise, but, oh boy, it is one helluva ride.
The Tower (2013)
The Tower is a South Korean film and remake of The Towering Inferno. It features updated special effects and even more thrilling sequences.
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