The Best 10 Firefighting Movies for Firefighters

It can be thrilling to see your job play out on the big screen. You get to see how other people view what you do on a daily basis. Sometimes you forget just how heroic and spectacular your job is until someone points it out for you. If you need something entertaining to do tonight, we suggest watching one of these top firefighting movies. Make a game of it and write down everything they got right or wrong about the job!

Only the Brave (2017)

Based on true events about the “Granite Mountain Hotshots,” a group of firefighters who put themselves in immense danger to protect their town from a historic wildfire. The movie stars Josh Brolin and Demi Moore, it’s an action-packed thriller that pulls at the heart strings.

 

 

Ladder 49 (2004)

This American disaster thriller film follows Baltimore Fire Captain Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) and firefighter Jay Russel’s (Joaquin Phoenix) memories of their firefighting past. The plot builds up to Jay getting stuck in a burning builder and his team struggling to rescue him. If you’ve ever watched a Joaquin Phoenix movie before, then you know this film is full of magnificent acting, humor, and a captivating storyline.

The Tower (2012)

Firefighting is necessity in every country. In the South Korean movie “The Tower,” a massive fire breaks out in a luxury skyscraper on Christmas Eve. If you’re okay with subtitles, this movie is a great action thriller with plenty of explosions.

https://youtu.be/BCQ1EemWIxo

Backdraft (1991)

Search this movie trailer up on YouTube and the first comment is “this movie is part of the reason I am a fireman.” The movie follows a crew of Chicago firemen chasing the trail of a serial arsonist. This thriller has an all-star crew, including famous actors Kurt Russel, William Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, and Robert De Niro. The actors went out on calls with real Chicago firefighters before filming started, so they could get a real sense of what it was like to be on the job. And their hard work paid off, with the movie receiving three Oscar nominations.

Firestorm (1998)

This classic action movie stars Howie Long, William Forsythe, and Scott Glenn. This movie has it all: prison escapes, murder, identity fraud, firefighting, and a damsel in distress. It’s a non-stop thriller movie that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

World Trade Center (2006)

Everyone knows the heroic actions of uniformed American public safety employees during the September 11th terrorist attacks. This movie is based on accounts from surviving witnesses on the day of the attacks. It focuses mostly on police officers but is still a powerful movie for firefighters as well. While a sobering movie to watch, it’s a dramatic film that is wonderful to watch. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Stephen Dorff.

The Towering Inferno (1974)

During a premiere party for the world’s largest skyscraper, a fire breaks out and firefighting crews from all around the city come together to fight it. The movie is definitely older but still contains the classic action-packed scenes you expect from a firefighting movie.

Fire! Trapped on the 37th Floor (1991)

This movie is based on the real-life events known as the “First Interstate Tower Fire.” This high-rise fire occurred on May 4, 1988 in Los Angeles, at the tallest building in the city. The fire destroyed the five elevators of the building and trapped some employees inside. The real incident took place because the skyscraper wasn’t equipped with a sprinkler system, which wasn’t a mandated code at the time. After this incident, Los Angeles changes its building codes to include mandatory fire sprinklers.

The movie dramatizes the real events. While most workers are rescued out of the building, two remain trapped on the 37th floor. The plot follows the difficult challenge to rescue the last two people.

You can watch the entire movie below.

Fireproof (2008)

Fireproof follows a firefighter struggling through a collapsing marriage. He takes on a “40 day Love Dare” challenge to see if he can save his marriage. This movie is perfect if you’re in the mood for a cheesy romantic film.

Firehouse Dog (2007)

Okay, so this last movie may be less for firefighters and more so for their children. Firehouse Dog is a family movie about a famous Hollywood dog that gets lost and is adopted into a small firehouse. The dog, Rexxx, becomes friends with the firefighter’s son and helps to get the firestation improve its reputation.

Don’t forget to let us know – which one is your favorite?

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