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Firestorm

R Released Jan 9, 1998 1h 29m Action List
12% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 27% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A firefighter (Howie Long) and his mentor (Scott Glenn) encounter an escaped convict (William Forsythe) and his cohorts in a blazing forest.
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Firestorm

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Critics Consensus

Firestorm failed to ignite ex-pro footballer Howie Long's career...or anything else for that matter.

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Critics Reviews

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Mike Clark USA Today Hokey smoky. That just about sums up Firestorm, a not-so-towering inferno of action nonsense and overheated mayhem. Rated: 2/4 Jan 9, 2018 Full Review Entertainment Weekly Rated: C- Dec 17, 2008 Full Review Liam Lacey Globe and Mail In movies, as in life, you take your warmth where you can find it, but this particular wienie roast is bound to leave you cold. Rated: 1/4 Apr 12, 2002 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...boasts an old-fashioned sensibility that benefits from several surprisingly thrilling set pieces... Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 16, 2008 Full Review Eric Melin Scene-Stealers.com Rated: 0/5 Sep 29, 2006 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 1.5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Pepper W I actually liked this movie! The action wasn't the best but it was good. Great action scenes and William Forsythe shined as a bad guy! Howie Long did excellent as a firefighter trying to shut down the flames while battling prisoners. A few 'hokey' scenes didn't really bother me. Hey, it's just a movie. Sit back and enjoy it! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/27/24 Full Review Taylor E Reckless action, great villian, lost me at the end. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/03/23 Full Review Blu B Awful. Terrible acting, subpar over the top soundtrack, and terrible pacing. The editing & cinematography isn't good either. No wonder Howie Long's career never took off. I don't know who is worse him or the stupid villian. I thought this was going to be like a drama telling what parachuting firefighters go through based on the opening title card. But it devolves into a brainless stupid idea prison break action thiller that takes place during a forest fire. It never knows how to make the firefighter/disaster movie asetics work with the action plot. There is hardly and character development put into Howie Long. If anything the villian is the main focus more than anything. The end fight is terrible and laughably over the top as is the whole movie. More than anything this is just a terrible idea for a movie to begin with. Skip This. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/19/23 Full Review Bill G I was a dumb kid when this came out and thought it was the best movie ever. The only thing I remember from this movie is when the bad guys are walking on the ridge and badass Howie Long knows they are full of shit because the fire will burn up to the ridge. Phile. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Firestorm seems to be trying to put me over on how cool fighting forest fires are. The trained few, jump out of planes, fight criminals, throw axes and wrestle manly Russian men from the 13th Warrior. This is a muscle-bound dream, isn't it. Punching trees with our fists while we rub together our biggest of muscles to create fire. Of course, the fire we create is just as awesome as we are, so it also fights other fires like a boss. I think what I am trying to say is that Firestorm seems a bit of a stretch. Now, I am not saying that the men and women who fight forest fires in real life don't put themselves in danger while trying to save lives, homes, and peoples lifestyles. I am saying the movie Firestorm may not be super truthful in its execution. Although, that over exaggeration is what makes it great. Riding dirt bikes over cliffs, wrestling in a burning building and smashing peoples heads through boats to burn their faces off during a "firestorm" almost push this movie into so bad it's good territory. There are some laughable moments, and even laugh out loud moments that make me really wish it went that extra mile to be fun. It's almost the "Stone Cold" of fighting forest fires. I'd say Firestorm is the type of movie you shut your brain off and enjoy, but I don't think the movie gets to the point where your brain ever turns on. Star rating side, this movie is entertaining, just not for the right reasons. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member The movie is really cheesy but its atleast action filled. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Firestorm

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A firefighter (Howie Long) and his mentor (Scott Glenn) encounter an escaped convict (William Forsythe) and his cohorts in a blazing forest.
Director
Dean Semler
Producer
Thomas M. Hammel, Jeph Loeb, Matthew Weisman
Screenwriter
Chris Soth
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox, Loeb-Weisman
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 9, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.0M
Runtime
1h 29m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, DTS, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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