Well, best thing about the film was the contra dance band at the end, the Hillillies from Mars, of which I am a member. Actors were competent I thought, though working with very poor material. I will say that lunch was pretty good. Though the extras didn't get the same grub as the stars. My buddy Ray, unfamiliar with the movie class system, managed to wander through the first class lunch line and get actual meat instead of the spaghetti we lowly serfs were served. Cast and crew seemed like nice folks. Strange business this second line Hollywood stuff. I think the director must have gotten tired when editing, and the writer gave up after awhile as well. Wonder what it would have been like had everyone mimed their parts?
17 Reviews
Mediocre film and I was even in it!
mikes-7627 December 2007
This was my first and only gig as an extra. Our local contra dancing club was recruited for the final scene, filmed on one of the hottest days of the year in a building about 30 feet from the original location of Sutter's Mill (the one that started the CA Gold Rush). It was about 100+ inside, then they had to turn on the lights, close the doors and we had to go into high gear and not sweat.
It was frankly, a lot of fun. But we waited for a couple of years for the thing to be released, and thankfully it went direct to DVD.
It is just a cheese-ball effort. And one wonders how stuff like this ever gets bankrolled.
It was frankly, a lot of fun. But we waited for a couple of years for the thing to be released, and thankfully it went direct to DVD.
It is just a cheese-ball effort. And one wonders how stuff like this ever gets bankrolled.
Stupids are dealing with fire
tim000_19987 June 2005
I have seen so many movies about fires but by far this is the worst one. I like the female firefighter idea but her character was not fully developed. The visual effects are OK for a low budget movie. The acting. Well this is a different story. First of all the kids are really stupid in this film. Kylie deserves what she gets. Her boyfriend is silly and more importantly Mary, the little girl, she looks like she is having fun at the park while the fire is on. The mayor character played by Stockwell is underdeveloped supporting character. It is too bad that they could not use him. Soulless characters, dull story, OK visual effects and bad acting. I think this is a deadly combination. Rent another movie or watch something else on TV.
Utterly Incompetent!
Crap_Connoisseur19 December 2005
I think I'd rather burn in an inferno than sit through this film again. I can deal with the horrendous script, the appalling acting, the incompetent directing and the sinful waste of an excellent actor like Jeff Fahey, but what I can not excuse is the fact that "Inferno" is overwhelmingly dull and boring.
The first half of Inferno is as riveting as watching paint dry. Poor Janet Gunn looks completely at sea with the ridiculous role of Darcy, a single mother/fire jumper. When Darcy isn't jumping from planes to watch other people put out fires, she's busy fighting with her daughter, Kylie. The girl who plays Kylie is truly one of the least talented actresses I have ever seen. To describe her acting as wooden would be an insult to wood. And yet, Kylie is not the most poorly acted role in the film. That title undoubtedly belongs to the girl who portrays Mary, surely the worst child actor since Curly Sue.
I'm not sure what is actually more offensive, the acting or the pathetic special effects. In the director's commentary of Ladder 49, Jay Russell says that fire is about the only thing that CGI can not adequately create. After watching this film, I have to agree. The fires look like they have been drawn on the screen with a child's crayon.
I can really only think of two uses for "Inferno" - as landfill or as a handbook on how not to make a movie. Only for die-hard fans of Jeff Fahey, Dean Stockwell or Janet Gunn.
The first half of Inferno is as riveting as watching paint dry. Poor Janet Gunn looks completely at sea with the ridiculous role of Darcy, a single mother/fire jumper. When Darcy isn't jumping from planes to watch other people put out fires, she's busy fighting with her daughter, Kylie. The girl who plays Kylie is truly one of the least talented actresses I have ever seen. To describe her acting as wooden would be an insult to wood. And yet, Kylie is not the most poorly acted role in the film. That title undoubtedly belongs to the girl who portrays Mary, surely the worst child actor since Curly Sue.
I'm not sure what is actually more offensive, the acting or the pathetic special effects. In the director's commentary of Ladder 49, Jay Russell says that fire is about the only thing that CGI can not adequately create. After watching this film, I have to agree. The fires look like they have been drawn on the screen with a child's crayon.
I can really only think of two uses for "Inferno" - as landfill or as a handbook on how not to make a movie. Only for die-hard fans of Jeff Fahey, Dean Stockwell or Janet Gunn.
not good but not bad (minimal spoiler)
chatangel26 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
No, this is certainly not an award winner, it doesn't even come close to Dante's Peak or even Volcano (another two of my favs) - yes, there is some pretty bad acting (I do NOT include the two leads in that) but I'm a sucker for these types of movies and I am definitely a fan of Janet Gunn ever since her days on Silk Stalkings. Jeff Fehey ain't half bad either *grin* I prefer to watch a movie on its own merits and while this seems more like a TV movie it is nowhere near the worst movie I've ever seen. I enjoyed the initial chemistry between Gunn & Fehey. I got girly goosebumps when Mom & Daughter find each other again. And I have always applauded any try at showing what firefighters (of any kind) put on the line each and every single time they hit that line. *shrug* Don't be a film critic. Just enjoy what's to enjoy in the movie and take the rest with the proverbial grain of salt.
Perhaps an all time worst movie
gfischer28 March 2003
I often watch movies which are poorly rated and severely criticized, and feel many viewers were missing some significant points; satire, fantasy, surrealism, etc., which reviewers mistake as serious elements of the film. Inferno was roundly criticized for a large number of faults, with which I find myself in complete agreement. And I could add a number of others. I'm interested in forest fires, which is why I went ahead and rented it. In another incarnation I was foreman of a U.S. Forest Service tank truck and fire crew. In fact I grew up in the USFS and around fires. From the technical aspect of the film it is utter, complete and unmitigated B.S. I think Janet Gunn reached her professional peak as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, and is sliding down from there. I hope the rest of the cast and crew have other day jobs. This one really, really stinks, and is totally without redeeming merit.
Boring and NOT as described in description
combat111122 January 2005
This movie was NOT as the description described "The Earth's air is polluted by solar activity, causing much of the planet to burst into flames. Dallas Cowboy cheerleader Janet Gunn stars as heroine Darcy Hamilton. Also starring Jeff Fahey and Dean Stockwell," The actors and actresses were as described(they did leave out boring) It was about an arsonist fire chief setting a fire trying to be a hero and they blew up a dam to keep the city from burning and of course blowing that up didn't endanger the city at all. Do the people who write the descriptions even watch these movies? IMDb needs a rating that allows one to post a minus rating
Can it get any worse?
useonce16 November 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Warning: Contains Spoilers! This film (if one can really call it a film), is probably the worst I have ever seen. I stopped watching halfway through it, but forced myself to watch the rest after logging into imdb, to give this comment. About 11 mins. in, this happens; (the "firefighters" are removing vegetation to stop the fire from spreading). Darcy: "Listen, the wind has shifted. Get everybody out of here NOW." Suddenly, ten-feet-tall flames are shooting out of nowhere, and most of the men get knocked over, then run away. A firefighter gets knocked down by a falling burning tree. His pants catch fire(!), but Darcy puts it out, and drags him to "safety". There is almost no smoke, and very little fire around, except for when the ten-feet-tall flames suddenly erupt out of nowhere. That scene was so incredibly unrealistic, that I couldn't watch it without grinding my teeth and curling my toes. Much of the "film" is that bad, or worse.
The scene when blowing the dam is very much up to your imagination. To me, it just looks like they're blasting a few holes in the side of a hill (with a few inches of water on the other side), and you don't get to see any water flowing out of the reservoir.
I'll watch this again, when the sun turns blue..
The scene when blowing the dam is very much up to your imagination. To me, it just looks like they're blasting a few holes in the side of a hill (with a few inches of water on the other side), and you don't get to see any water flowing out of the reservoir.
I'll watch this again, when the sun turns blue..
Hilariously awful!
jmupton200324 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Well it was just about watchable but that is where the positive points grind to halt, probably just like the career of pretty much everyone associated with this mess.
Plot holes the size of Nebraska, dodgy acting, even more dodgy fire fighting and wall to wall recycled stock footage of forest fires interspersed with some terrible special effects are the main features of a film with a plot so blinding obvious you could see what was going to happen a mile off.
Large slices of the plot have been lifted almost word for word from Jaws, the defiant kid who gets into trouble, the Mayor who refuses to close the road because of the tourist peak, and even more amazingly one character then goes and admits this! Anyway, the fire gets out of control thanks to their local friendly loony with the fireworks (who anyone with half a brain will identify in about a millisecond after he appears) and then its all solved as if by magic by blowing up the dam - this being achieved with the lamest explosions in the history of demolishing things.
The whole film leaves a lot of unanswered questions - What happened to the fire tankers? Where did that convenient abandoned mine appear from and then just as promptly disappear to? Who put that idiot woman in charge? Did we really need the pointless closing scene at the dance with the flashbacks? What was with the random pointless slow motion shots? What on earth was Dean Stockwell (as the Mayor) doing in this rubbish? If you like a laugh at cheap poorly researched B Movie style disaster flicks (and there seem to be an awful lot of them floating around) then go and find this on DVD - my local supermarket is flogging this travesty for just 97p - and I expect many will still think they have been robbed!!
Plot holes the size of Nebraska, dodgy acting, even more dodgy fire fighting and wall to wall recycled stock footage of forest fires interspersed with some terrible special effects are the main features of a film with a plot so blinding obvious you could see what was going to happen a mile off.
Large slices of the plot have been lifted almost word for word from Jaws, the defiant kid who gets into trouble, the Mayor who refuses to close the road because of the tourist peak, and even more amazingly one character then goes and admits this! Anyway, the fire gets out of control thanks to their local friendly loony with the fireworks (who anyone with half a brain will identify in about a millisecond after he appears) and then its all solved as if by magic by blowing up the dam - this being achieved with the lamest explosions in the history of demolishing things.
The whole film leaves a lot of unanswered questions - What happened to the fire tankers? Where did that convenient abandoned mine appear from and then just as promptly disappear to? Who put that idiot woman in charge? Did we really need the pointless closing scene at the dance with the flashbacks? What was with the random pointless slow motion shots? What on earth was Dean Stockwell (as the Mayor) doing in this rubbish? If you like a laugh at cheap poorly researched B Movie style disaster flicks (and there seem to be an awful lot of them floating around) then go and find this on DVD - my local supermarket is flogging this travesty for just 97p - and I expect many will still think they have been robbed!!
Not Worth the Film Used to Make it....
MTGrizzly25 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
You know this is going to be a bad film right from the beginning : The fire can be seen from a road - yet they drop in smoke jumpers? You don't jump into a fire that you ca see from the road. After the jumpers get on the ground, the "veteran" says he wants to attack the fire from the uphill side? Fire always runs uphill! Ask the guys that died at Mann Gulch or Storm King Mountain in Colorado how attacking fires from uphill works out. When they are walking to the fire, the sound of the wind is blowing loudly in the background, but none of the vegetation is moving at all and the fire isn't wind blown. After they have tried for a few minutes to put out the fire, a Sikorsky S76 helicopter appears and makes a water drop right on the fire without any planning? If they could have put it out with a water drop, they would have done that first. When the fire is "contained" and the entirely bogus rescue has been carried off, the "chief" calls for a helicopter and flies back to town - if they could have flown into the fire, then they would have sent a helicopter attack in, not smoke jumpers.
Later, after commandeering the helicopter to look for her daughter, the "chief" rappels down from the helicopter, (without throwing any rope out first) in to trees and abandons the firefighting effort. Then she gets stuck in the tree, (while still attached to the helicopter), and then falls out of the tree while trying to get down.
Unfortunately, the movie goes down hill from there. The dialog is terrible. The plot is contrived, (and entirely predictable). The special effects are about what I would expect from this kind of movie, in other words, really bad. Acting swings from non-existent to way over acting. If a movie has a good plot, sometimes you can be persuaded to suspend belief enough to enjoy the movie. In other instances, if the special effects are outstanding sometimes you can live with no plot. This is not either of that those types of movie.
Even if you know nothing about wildland fires or wildland fire fighting, this movie is not worth the film used to make it. If you like movies with plot, dialog, acting and a decent premise, this is not one of them.
Apparently, this movie is also shown under the title, "California Firestorm." If anything, that is even a less apt title than "Inferno."
Later, after commandeering the helicopter to look for her daughter, the "chief" rappels down from the helicopter, (without throwing any rope out first) in to trees and abandons the firefighting effort. Then she gets stuck in the tree, (while still attached to the helicopter), and then falls out of the tree while trying to get down.
Unfortunately, the movie goes down hill from there. The dialog is terrible. The plot is contrived, (and entirely predictable). The special effects are about what I would expect from this kind of movie, in other words, really bad. Acting swings from non-existent to way over acting. If a movie has a good plot, sometimes you can be persuaded to suspend belief enough to enjoy the movie. In other instances, if the special effects are outstanding sometimes you can live with no plot. This is not either of that those types of movie.
Even if you know nothing about wildland fires or wildland fire fighting, this movie is not worth the film used to make it. If you like movies with plot, dialog, acting and a decent premise, this is not one of them.
Apparently, this movie is also shown under the title, "California Firestorm." If anything, that is even a less apt title than "Inferno."
Very disappointing
pepijn-94 November 2005
Ever seen a movie so bad that it felt like you were watching a porn movie without the x-rated scenes? If not, see Inferno and you'll know what I mean. The acting is the best part of the movie, and even then it is mediocre at best. But whether this is solely due to the actors themselves or the forced and unnatural dialog in the script is uncertain. The script is completely void of any subtleties, nuances or psychology. Combine this with ineffectual editing, disinterested direction and an amazingly predictable storyline ("he wasn't just some guy, he was your father!") and the result is an insultingly poor waste of time. The camera direction is average. The special effects weren't even half bad, considering that the budget was obviously limited. All in all though, this is a decidedly below-average disaster b-movie.
Inferno
Octagonal26 August 2005
While viewing a multi-pack of action DVD's I stumbled across what appears to be a little known film that I certainly had not heard of before. The only actor immediately recognizable is Dean Stockwell who has only a small and rather featureless part as Mayor Bill Klinger. Despite this I found the scenery and acting well above average for what was ostensibly a low budget production. Panoramic views of the sweeping forestry were well executed and while the special effects were not up to blockbuster standard they were adequate and in no way detracted from the experience. The plot revolves around new Rural Fire Chief Darcy Hamilton played by the incredibly sexy Janet Gunn. The move brings tension between Darcy, her daughter, the mayor and the local firefighters. All the while a random arsonist is making life difficult. The story itself is sound with some believable action heating things up. Overall I found the movie absorbing with above average acting and reasonably strong plot lines.
Not Good
da_man27 January 2002
While not the worst film I've ever sat through this film is certainly not one that I can see as a winner. The only actor I've ever seen before is Dean Stockwell and I have no doubt that he was as confused as his character was supposed to be wondering why he signed the contract to do this film.
The plot is pretty flimsy, the acting is ordinary at best, the script is poor and the special effects are laughable when compared to the modern standards. I cannot help but comparing this to Dantes Peak which this film seems to be a bit of a rip off of without being nearly as good.
My only other theory as to how this film came about is that Dean Stockwell runs an acting school and this film is a practical development of that course. At best, this film is unlikely to offend anyone.
The plot is pretty flimsy, the acting is ordinary at best, the script is poor and the special effects are laughable when compared to the modern standards. I cannot help but comparing this to Dantes Peak which this film seems to be a bit of a rip off of without being nearly as good.
My only other theory as to how this film came about is that Dean Stockwell runs an acting school and this film is a practical development of that course. At best, this film is unlikely to offend anyone.
Terrible!
funfun19 December 2002
I was in a hotel in Bangkok trying to stay awake all night for a morning flight, and trying to focus on packing my bags to end a trip in SE Asia.
This was the only thing on TV, and I needed some noise in the room.
Just plain terrible. I laughed out loud numerous times at the awful acting, predictable and outrageous plot twists, second-rate effects, and threadbare storyline.
Don't waste your time. It hardly served its purpose as a device to keep me awake.
This was the only thing on TV, and I needed some noise in the room.
Just plain terrible. I laughed out loud numerous times at the awful acting, predictable and outrageous plot twists, second-rate effects, and threadbare storyline.
Don't waste your time. It hardly served its purpose as a device to keep me awake.
Terrible acting, even worse directing
jenniferny6 September 2007
I saw this movie on LMN and it was titled "California Firestorm". They usually run high quality movies that deal with prominent social issues, many of which are true stories. Unfortunately this time they really chose badly. Two of the lead characters were a mother and daughter. Normally when you watch a movie there are actors that play the part of a person and do so very well to the point that you cannot tell that they are actors because they play the part so well. That is not the case with this movie. It is so obvious that these are actors trying to play two real-life people and they do it very badly. It is like watching a high school play and the actors sound like they are over-dramatizing the lines. The mother plays a chief of a fire jumping crew in California during a fire. Much of her dialog is so unnatural sounding that I wanted to switch channels after the first ten minutes, but there was nothing else on so rather than turn off the TV I kept watching hoping that it would get better, but it never did. For example, while they are playing a scene where they are in the forest fighting the fire there is CONSTANT dialog between the actors much of which is everyone telling everybody else what a good job they are doing. The way it was done sounded very unnatural and "staged", like they were saying it for the benefit of the camera. Even the scenes portraying the typical conflicts between a mother and teenage daughter are over-acted and when the confrontation is over it seems like there is something missing, like they cut out a part of the scene that should have been left in. LMN is probably the channel that I watch the most so I was really disappointed that they ever ran this movie. Do yourself a favor and if it is ever run again watch something else, ANYTHING else. It was so bad that I went right to IMDb and posted this review, something that I very rarely do.
Stop. Drop. And Roll. Away. Far. Far. Away.
Mitiori1 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I rented this from Netflix (luckily) because I wanted to see Janet Gunn in something other than Silk Stalkings. This movie did not do her any favors in my ability to critique her acting ability in movies.
10 painful minutes in and I couldn't take it anymore. It's still on right now as I write this painful review. Really lame dialogue is going on while flying from (?) a fire site. Why is she whining about her daughter back in LA ("that crazy town", according to the apparently hick No. CA. pilot, like it's so far away) while battling a strange fire? My limit was reached when I saw the lame fireman didn't know to stop, drop and roll while his leg was mysteriously on fire through his fire proof suit.
Oy.
10 painful minutes in and I couldn't take it anymore. It's still on right now as I write this painful review. Really lame dialogue is going on while flying from (?) a fire site. Why is she whining about her daughter back in LA ("that crazy town", according to the apparently hick No. CA. pilot, like it's so far away) while battling a strange fire? My limit was reached when I saw the lame fireman didn't know to stop, drop and roll while his leg was mysteriously on fire through his fire proof suit.
Oy.
Just another movie
Genie-yes-dat-112 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
not the most awful movie I've seen but close.
I greatly disliked the acting of the daughter Kylie and the little girl Mary. Especially the little girl, her actions did not make sense. One part where the main issue is the fire going on and she continues whining about her bike burning and NOT running away from the fire. How annoying can she get? Sure she is categorized as the little girl but she should be way smarter than she is portrayed. The plot was completely predictable and the ending lacked in professionalism. It looked like they put in a bunch of random clips and flashbacks to this slow music that seems like it goes on forever. Nothing is really going on except them smiling and dancing and smiling and dancing. Is the movie finished yet?
As well the main conflict between the girl Kylie and her mother Darcy is very unlikely at that point. Kylie is a character who should be old enough to understand that her mother should not be to blame. The abrupt yet known ending of her forgiving her mother is so overdone that it lacks any real impact on the audience,receiving no sympathy from me whatsoever. I would not recommend watching this movie.
I greatly disliked the acting of the daughter Kylie and the little girl Mary. Especially the little girl, her actions did not make sense. One part where the main issue is the fire going on and she continues whining about her bike burning and NOT running away from the fire. How annoying can she get? Sure she is categorized as the little girl but she should be way smarter than she is portrayed. The plot was completely predictable and the ending lacked in professionalism. It looked like they put in a bunch of random clips and flashbacks to this slow music that seems like it goes on forever. Nothing is really going on except them smiling and dancing and smiling and dancing. Is the movie finished yet?
As well the main conflict between the girl Kylie and her mother Darcy is very unlikely at that point. Kylie is a character who should be old enough to understand that her mother should not be to blame. The abrupt yet known ending of her forgiving her mother is so overdone that it lacks any real impact on the audience,receiving no sympathy from me whatsoever. I would not recommend watching this movie.
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