Backdraft (film)

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Backdraft is a 1991 American action thriller drama directed by Ron Howard. It stars Kurt Russell and William Baldwin as two Chicago firefighters who are brothers, Brian and Stephen McCaffrey. The film follows their pursuit of a serial arsonist and a conspiracy that puts fire crews at risk to help a corrupt political machine.

Arson investigator Donald Rimgale teams up with Brian to uncover a pattern of deadly fires that seem connected to a motive to downsize the Fire Department for financial gain. A veteran firefighter, Axe Adcox, is revealed to have started some fires to aid the scheme, leading to a dramatic confrontation during a dangerous blaze. Stephen dies heroically, while Brian survives and vows to continue his family’s firefighting legacy and expose the truth.

Backdraft was praised for its spectacular firefighting effects, scored by Hans Zimmer, with two songs by Bruce Hornsby. It earned three Oscar nominations for Sound, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. The movie grossed about $152 million worldwide on a $40 million budget and inspired a Universal Studios special effects attraction. A sequel, Backdraft 2, was released direct-to-video in 2019 with Baldwin and Sutherland returning.