Only The Brave documents an elite crew of firefighters, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who worked to contain wildfires spreading across Arizona and its surrounding areas. Based on the true story leading up to the Yarnell Hill Fire of June 2013, the feature-length - directed by Joseph Kosinski - considers the men who risked their lives to save thousands of people and their affected friends and families. Starring the likes of Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly, the biographical action-drama has garnered positive reviews from critics and general audiences over its release, despite a muted and disappointing commercial reception.
In my eyes, Only The Brave seems very muddled in its intentions. It's determined to do justice by the group of brave men at the film's core and in many ways, it does, presenting their battles with both sensitivity but brutality. But with only infrequent moments of promise and exhilaration, the picture ultimately cannot decide what it wants to be. Fleeting, undeveloped glimpses of multiple genre can be identified, from the superhero genre to the buddy-comedy, the survival-drama and a deeper, more intimate character study - but there is very little to streamline or unite them into a satisfying piece of potent entertainment. Despite moments of promise, it is all over the place, emphasised by the sprawling timeline that covers many months in a scattershot, almost unfinished manner.
In its attempt to be and do so much at once, Only The Brave's run-time balloons into a plodding 133 minutes. While we get a relatively solid first act and terrific, genuinely powerful finale, the middle third contains so much unnecessary padding that it threatens to go up in flames itself - and threatens to derail the picture entirely. Kosinski fails to tighten the picture adequately and it struggles to create and maintain a momentum when the structure is so stop-and-start and diverging. The jump between timeframes is disorientating at the best of times, feeling disconnected as the film meanders around considering various tones and genres aimlessly.
Infusing multiple genres and tonal elements together is very often a recipe for success, but it feels misguided and rudimentary in Only The Brave's screenplay. Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer's script operates well in parts, portraying the group dynamics and sense of unity effectively. It contains some fine dialogue and sturdy set piece but the pair appear overwhelmed with the tonal ground the film chooses to cover; it results in a confused screenplay that loses its way, almost irreparably, in the middle section. While it does claw its way to solid ground for the final twenty minutes or so, it doesn't fully earn the emotion it delves so deep for, and the poignant response is a reaction to the real-life events, rather than the film's own execution of these moments.
Joseph Kosinski's direction is promising and he does a stellar job in making the rumoured $38 million production budget seem more extensive than it actually is. From the sweeping shots of the New Mexico setting - enhanced by Claudio Miranda's impressive cinematography - to the intensity of the finale, Kosinski's understanding of scale and stakes help magnify the ending tremendously but he cannot quite implement it well enough elsewhere, ending on a powerful note that is soured by the rocky road before it.
His cast all do a fine job and they are a well-assembled ensemble, but no one really stands out as being particularly noteworthy due to the sheer number of characters in the mix. Miles Teller is still someone I cannot warm to but he's decent enough here as the arguable lead, with Josh Brolin standing as a solid paternal figure for him. Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly are (understandably but still frustratingly) under-utilised and, even with the extensive runtime, denied much characterisation and development in their own right beyond the basics.
It would be unfair to dismiss Only The Brave entirely: I had a tear in my eye during the film's final moments and evidence of a strong picture and competent direction can be recognised. The final act is well-realised and executed, containing a great deal of emotion and potency, which the cast sell effectively. The tonal clutter, misguided screenplay and damning run-time are certainly damaging, with the pace-hindering middle slog particularly flawed - but if you can get past it, the high-powered ending and closing credits make it almost worthwhile.
★★★★★✬☆☆☆☆
Summary: Only The Brave is tonally cluttered with a bloated run-time that hindered the momentum and weights it down considerably - but beyond the very obvious flaws and sluggish middle act is a powerful finale that makes it (almost) worthwhile.
In my eyes, Only The Brave seems very muddled in its intentions. It's determined to do justice by the group of brave men at the film's core and in many ways, it does, presenting their battles with both sensitivity but brutality. But with only infrequent moments of promise and exhilaration, the picture ultimately cannot decide what it wants to be. Fleeting, undeveloped glimpses of multiple genre can be identified, from the superhero genre to the buddy-comedy, the survival-drama and a deeper, more intimate character study - but there is very little to streamline or unite them into a satisfying piece of potent entertainment. Despite moments of promise, it is all over the place, emphasised by the sprawling timeline that covers many months in a scattershot, almost unfinished manner.
In its attempt to be and do so much at once, Only The Brave's run-time balloons into a plodding 133 minutes. While we get a relatively solid first act and terrific, genuinely powerful finale, the middle third contains so much unnecessary padding that it threatens to go up in flames itself - and threatens to derail the picture entirely. Kosinski fails to tighten the picture adequately and it struggles to create and maintain a momentum when the structure is so stop-and-start and diverging. The jump between timeframes is disorientating at the best of times, feeling disconnected as the film meanders around considering various tones and genres aimlessly.
Infusing multiple genres and tonal elements together is very often a recipe for success, but it feels misguided and rudimentary in Only The Brave's screenplay. Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer's script operates well in parts, portraying the group dynamics and sense of unity effectively. It contains some fine dialogue and sturdy set piece but the pair appear overwhelmed with the tonal ground the film chooses to cover; it results in a confused screenplay that loses its way, almost irreparably, in the middle section. While it does claw its way to solid ground for the final twenty minutes or so, it doesn't fully earn the emotion it delves so deep for, and the poignant response is a reaction to the real-life events, rather than the film's own execution of these moments.
Joseph Kosinski's direction is promising and he does a stellar job in making the rumoured $38 million production budget seem more extensive than it actually is. From the sweeping shots of the New Mexico setting - enhanced by Claudio Miranda's impressive cinematography - to the intensity of the finale, Kosinski's understanding of scale and stakes help magnify the ending tremendously but he cannot quite implement it well enough elsewhere, ending on a powerful note that is soured by the rocky road before it.
His cast all do a fine job and they are a well-assembled ensemble, but no one really stands out as being particularly noteworthy due to the sheer number of characters in the mix. Miles Teller is still someone I cannot warm to but he's decent enough here as the arguable lead, with Josh Brolin standing as a solid paternal figure for him. Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly are (understandably but still frustratingly) under-utilised and, even with the extensive runtime, denied much characterisation and development in their own right beyond the basics.
It would be unfair to dismiss Only The Brave entirely: I had a tear in my eye during the film's final moments and evidence of a strong picture and competent direction can be recognised. The final act is well-realised and executed, containing a great deal of emotion and potency, which the cast sell effectively. The tonal clutter, misguided screenplay and damning run-time are certainly damaging, with the pace-hindering middle slog particularly flawed - but if you can get past it, the high-powered ending and closing credits make it almost worthwhile.
★★★★★✬☆☆☆☆
(5.5/10)
Summary: Only The Brave is tonally cluttered with a bloated run-time that hindered the momentum and weights it down considerably - but beyond the very obvious flaws and sluggish middle act is a powerful finale that makes it (almost) worthwhile.