Only the Brave (2017)
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An elite crew of firefighters faces a harrowing battle against a massive wildfire in Arizona.
The story
Fire and Rescue Crew 7 of Prescott, Arizona, led by Eric Marsh, struggles to gain official Hotshot certification to fight wildfires more effectively. After a successful evaluation, they become the first municipal hotshot crew in history, known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots. The crew, including a recovering addict named Brendan McDonough, is deployed across the country to battle various fires. While they gain recognition as local heroes, the team faces the physical and emotional toll of their dangerous work. The narrative follows their journey of professional growth and personal sacrifice as they face the escalating dangers of the Arizona wilderness.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Eric Marsh leads a crew seeking Hotshot certification to fight wildfires in Arizona. They successfully become the Granite Mountain Hotshots. During the season, Brendan McDonough, a recovering addict, joins the crew and finds a sense of purpose. After a series of successful missions, the crew is deployed to the Yarnell Hill Fire. A sudden shift in wind traps the crew under their fire shelters. While Brendan is the sole survivor, he is devastated by the loss of his 19 teammates. The film concludes with a tribute to the real-life heroes who perished in the 2013 fire.
- Original title
- Granite Mountain
- First release year
- 2017
- Runtime (minutes)
- 133
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joseph Kosinski
- Writers
- Ken Nolan · writer; Eric Warren Singer · writer
- Cast and characters
- Josh Brolin · Eric Marsh; Miles Teller · Brendan McDonough; Jeff Bridges · Duane Steinbrink; James Badge Dale · Jesse Steed; Taylor Kitsch · not specified; Jennifer Connelly · Amanda
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- sacrifice; brotherhood; recovery
- Tone and mood
- somber; heroic
- Premise and plot tags
- based on true events; firefighting
- Source material / true-story basis
- GQ article 'No Exit' by Sean Flynn
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews, with praise for the cast and the film's touching tribute to its subjects.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: percentage · review count: 160; Metacritic · score: 72 · scale: 100 · review count: 35; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The cast underwent firefighter bootcamp.; The film was originally titled Granite Mountain.; The film was a box-office bomb.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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