Two feuding siblings carrying on a heroic family tradition as Chicago firefighters. But when a puzzling series of arson attacks is reported, they are forced to set aside their differences to solve the mystery surrounding these crimes.
Practical Effects
Real fire, no CGI—actors trained with actual Chicago firefighters.
Sound
Hans Zimmer's score breathes like oxygen feeding flames.
Acting
Donald Sutherland's 5 minutes as pyro philosopher? Unhinged perfection.
Director
Ron Howard
Kurt Russell
Stephen McCaffrey
William Baldwin
Brian McCaffrey
Robert De Niro
Donald Rimgale
Donald Sutherland
Ronald Bartel
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Vaitkus
Scott Glenn
John 'Axe' Adcox
Rebecca De Mornay
Helen McCaffrey
Jason Gedrick
Tim Kirzminski
J.T. Walsh
Alderman Marty Swayzak
Cedric Young
Grindle
Juan Ramírez
Ray Santos
Jack McGee
Schmidt
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The chemical compound 'tritium' used as the fictional accelerant was complete nonsense—chemists wrote letters. Howard kept it anyway because it sounded cool.
De Niro modeled Rimgale on real fire inspector John O'Neill and insisted on shadowing actual arson investigators; his prop clipboard is covered in real case notes from Chicago fires.
US
