Although it has a very nicely done mystery plot at it's centre, and has a well acted story around two brothers and their respective journey's into the Chicago Fire Dept, the entire film is very much a tribute to the dangers and the heroism displayed by firefighters around the world.

It's also visually stunning in it's depiction of fire as a living thing, and since the film was made back in 1990/91 this is real fire - no CGI, no greenscreen behind the actors, the flames and explosions are real and the actors are really in there amongst it, which is highly impressive during the final sequence inside a burning and collapsing factory where both the mystery plot and the other threads come together in spectacular fashion. The cast is impressive - maybe one of Kurt Russell's best, alongside De Niro, Baldwin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rebecca DeMornay, and the late great J.T Walsh. There's also a very chilling cameo from Donald Sutherland as an old firestarter.

I would thoroughly recommend it as both a visually and intelligence satisying action film.

a really great movie with a superb cast and great fire effects. you actually feel hot watching it!