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Fires Were Started -
If anything, this tribute to the British firefighters who salvaged buildings during the blitz proves that when it comes to special effects, there's no substitute for the real thing. Director Jennings and crew set an already-damaged building ablaze during the movie's key sequence, and this move combined with the fact that the performers are actual firemen could make this pass for cinema verité. The movie takes it time before getting to this sequence, which I think is a good decision not only for how it raises our anticipation, but also for the ways it lets us get familiar with how the fire department works and how the firefighters spend their downtime. I also like how peaceful and how friendly everyone is in the introductory sequence for how it makes you consider the absurdity of war. As for the conclusion, I approve of how it makes you think of the firemen like you would soldiers.
While it seems like Jennings' priority was to make this a tribute and exposé, I don't think it's wrong to say that the movie could be more involving on a personal level. It succeeds at letting us know what everyone does, but it could have done more to let us know what they're like. There's an attempt at this with the Barrett character, but it doesn't totally commit to it. As a result, it's all a bit chilly (no pun intended), so I ultimately appreciate the movie more than I like it. I'm still glad I got to see how these firefighters did their jobs and how fire departments operate in general. Oh, and most importantly, if anyone says they or someone they know was a firefighter in a war, I'll have even more respect for them.
If anything, this tribute to the British firefighters who salvaged buildings during the blitz proves that when it comes to special effects, there's no substitute for the real thing. Director Jennings and crew set an already-damaged building ablaze during the movie's key sequence, and this move combined with the fact that the performers are actual firemen could make this pass for cinema verité. The movie takes it time before getting to this sequence, which I think is a good decision not only for how it raises our anticipation, but also for the ways it lets us get familiar with how the fire department works and how the firefighters spend their downtime. I also like how peaceful and how friendly everyone is in the introductory sequence for how it makes you consider the absurdity of war. As for the conclusion, I approve of how it makes you think of the firemen like you would soldiers.
While it seems like Jennings' priority was to make this a tribute and exposé, I don't think it's wrong to say that the movie could be more involving on a personal level. It succeeds at letting us know what everyone does, but it could have done more to let us know what they're like. There's an attempt at this with the Barrett character, but it doesn't totally commit to it. As a result, it's all a bit chilly (no pun intended), so I ultimately appreciate the movie more than I like it. I'm still glad I got to see how these firefighters did their jobs and how fire departments operate in general. Oh, and most importantly, if anyone says they or someone they know was a firefighter in a war, I'll have even more respect for them.