ONLY THE BRAVE

Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.
—
It is hard to criticise a movie based on a true story where so many people die for their community. But ONLY THE BRAVE is way too long and boring. There just isn’t enough tension in the way the story is told so that the complex work these firefighters do, and the danger they often face, is portrayed on screen. It all seems pretty bland until the final act. As the story develops, so do the characters. And it is good that the story is not over sensationalised like so many Hollywood “disaster” movies. That is refreshing. And there is a great cast. But it is just not enough to make for an interesting and, what should be, suspenseful movie with a real sense of danger.