Review of Only the Brave (2017) by Carfan1999 — 31 Jan 2018

Only the Brave is directed by Joseph Kosinski and stars Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Jeff Bridges, among others. The premise centers around the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite firefighting crew in which 19 out of 20 of them died in 2013 fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. Based on true events, the story does not necessary focus on the tragedy itself, instead focusing on the history of the hotshots. It focuses specifically on Eric Marsh, the leader of the crew, played by John Brolin. We see him as he tries to get his crew upgraded from a normal fire fighting crew to hotshots. It also focus on Brendan McDonough, a new recruit on the hotshots. After dealing with drug addiction, getting arrested for stealing, and learning that he's going to be a father, he decides to clean up his life by joining the crew.

In addition, the movie show the hotshots fighting various fires, we see the deep brotherhood the men have for each other, the stress the job places between the men and their wives, and just how terrifying fires can be. Thanks to special effects, there are many scenes where the camera is up close to a fire and it creates a thrilling experience. The movie illustrates how dangerous their job is and yet shows how they love doing it. You can't help but smile seeing these men saving towns, enjoying what they do, and seeing the close bonds between them. It also shows the local culture very well. What makes the movie unique is its format. The movie is like a combination of a western, a drama, and a thriller. It's overall unique approach to its storytelling helps out the film.

However in the last 15 minutes, that's when the tragedy occurs, and when that happens, it's like a giant punch to the gut. The movie ends on a sombering, somewhat bittersweet note. The acting from Josh Brolin was fantastic and Miles Teller also put in a good performance. What holds back the movie is the somewhat uneven directing. Some scenes were too short (like a some of the action scenes) while others went on for too long. But overall, Only The Brave is a good movie and is a respectful tribute to the men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.