Some movies are just better on DVD than in the theaters. Of course, this isn’t true for special effects summer blockbuster event pictures. However, for a more intimate story like “Ladder 49,” it seems more comfortable to watch in the familiar surroundings of your own home.

What helps make “Ladder 49” powerful and realistic is director Jay Russell’s choice to show what really happens to firefighters. When they are injured or killed in the line of duty, they rarely go down in a blaze of glory like the end of “Backdraft.” Rather, they are victims of much more mundane - yet just as dangerous - events, like collapsing roofs, steam vents and falling debris.

“Ladder 49” tells the story of Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix). The entire story is told in flashbacks after Jack becomes trapped in a blaze and must wait for the other firemen to attempt a rescue. We are taken back to Jack’s first day on the job when he is the butt of every joke in the fire station. We see how he met his wife, and we also witness the challenges he faces in his job.

Rather than being a high-octane action flick, “Ladder 49” is a character study of a firefighter. It shows the brotherhood among them and how they deal with the peril and heartbreak that comes with the job. The acting is relatively low key but spot on, and there really isn’t a weak performer in the bunch. Even John Travolta throws down a solid performance.

Although I’m not an audiophile and just use my on-board speakers of my television to listen to a film, it’s worthwhile to note that this DVD has an enhanced home theater mix of the soundtrack. This is important if you have a killer system, and as director Jay Russell points out in his commentary, it allows you to hear the fire as it takes on a character of its own.

Some other features include a “Making Of Ladder 49” video, an audio commentary with director Jay Russell and editor Brad Smith, and a music video of “Shine Your Light” by Robbie Robertson.

There are several deleted scenes, with optional commentary. Being a character study, there is some debate about what is necessary to remove from a film, and these scenes give us a chance to see how the movie might have been. One particularly interesting scene involves the firefighters hearing about the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Oddly enough, the scene seems out of place in the movie.

The script was written before 9/11, and it originally took place in New York City. However, director Jay Russell decided to move it to Baltimore to escape the inevitable 9/11 connections. He wanted to make a movie about firefighters around the country. He didn’t want to make a movie just about 9/11, and this was a good choice.

One of the more heartfelt features on the disc is a profile of the real-life firefighters who served as inspirations for the characters and the story. Since the events of September 11, 2001, much praise has been heaped upon these “everyday heroes” - and it is very much deserved. But while the firefighters appreciate the respect, they don’t necessarily look at themselves as heroes. They’re just doing their jobs.

Of course, it can be argued that this is exactly what makes them heroes in the first place. But this short documentary shows that they are everyday people. They have their virtues, but they also have their faults. They’re people like you and me. They’re not superheroes... they just act like them sometimes.



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. THX-certified, including THX optimizer. Widescreen (1.85:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions. French language track. French and Spanish subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.