“Only The Brave”: A Review

I’ll be honest: I don’t really see that many movies based on true events.

Most of what I see are the major action/sci-fi/superhero flics, like Star Wars and movies in the MCU. The last movie based on real-life people and events I saw was Everest, and while it was a pretty decent movie, I was a bit disappointed in it.

Contrary to that, Only the Brave lived up to all my expectations.

Set only a few years ago, the movie follows the formation, the lives, and the sad demise of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a team of firefighters. Led by team leader Eric Marsh (portrayed by Josh Brolin in the film), the team fights fires with nothing more than shovels, chainsaws, and their wits. Eventually, they met their untimely deaths while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013, leaving the only survivor being Brendan McDonough (portrayed by Miles Teller in the film).

With a film like this, especially since the deaths of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were only a few years ago, filmmakers have to be very careful. They don’t want to offend the families of the team members.

Fortunately, director Joseph Konsinski did an amazing job at presenting a story about the hotshot team, their bond as both a team and a family, and the aftermath of the disaster. With an amazing cast, both heartwarming and tragic moments, and great special effects, Only the Brave reminds us all of the heroic actions and the risks firefighters take to ensure that everyone remains safe.

Overall, I give this movie a 9.7/10, or an A on the grading scale.