You don't need to live in California to know there's a plethora of deadly wildfires consuming the U.S. Take Hawaii, for example, which has been in the news these past months for the deadly flames that have completely devastated Maui and other parts. Oregon is a popular "hotspot" as well, but California comes to mind most of the time, which is probably why Peter Facinelli and Nick Lyon's new film, On Fire, takes place in the Golden State. Disaster movies have been getting produced for decades now, with some being over the top and some being more thoughtful and groundbreaking. On Fire comes off as pretty surface-level, with a formulaic plot structure, but a couple memorable supporting performances help keep the end result moving.
Heartfelt but By-the-Numbers
Taking place in a harmless California town up in the mountains called Colburn, On Fire centers on a dad in distress named Dave Laughlin (Peter Facinelli). We quickly learn that he's got a high school track star for a son (Asher Angel) and a pregnant wife (Fiona Dourif). Living the American dream? Not quite. Dave is a seemingly ordinary man with money problems and a verbally abusive father (Lance Henriksen, great to see) who lives with them and simply can't kick a smoking habit. It's hard to believe that this mountainous town has never been hit by a wildfire, but that's what they say...
But then, of course, it happens. The flames make their way toward Dave's little world in the forest community, and here we see some impressive aerial shots of the devastation, images that look like they've been ripped right out of a news station's archives. Dave goes to the hardware store to get supplies "just in case" but then can't return home because of a stiff road block. No matter — Dave is determined and finds a way around it, literally playing with fire as he finally reunites with his family.
Dave, Sarah, and Clay decide to return home and prepare for impact. Is that the best idea? On Fire has faith-based vibes, which might throw off the nonreligious folks out there. But it's not overkill. They say we're all atheists until we clog someone else's toilet; but humor aside, it's a similar effect when a wildfire slowly approaches our beloved home. Who wouldn't want to pray for some higher power's help? This is indeed a grave tale for the Laughlins, and it's no laughing matter when their neighbor Ms. Elkins literally catches fire next door. It's a horrid sight, but an impressive visual effect for a seemingly low-budget project like On Fire.
"F*** you, fire!" cries Clay as they slowly lose hope. The family then decides to make a run for it and hop into Dave's pickup truck from earlier, which they should've done from the start. One small problem, though: The truck is leaking oil. Now, the three of them are on foot, huffing it through the woods as smoke consumes the air around them.
Standout Supporting Turns From Fiona Dourif and Ashlei Foushee
All the while, On Fire cuts between the Laughlins and an ambitious and conflicted young 911 call operator named Kayla (Ashlei Foushee). She hates that there's only so much her department can do to help guide locals away from the deadly flames. "We can't help everyone," her supervisor says at one point. Meanwhile, the Laughlins find an abandoned home that miraculously has a working landline (remember those?), and this is how they continue to get help from Kayla directly. Once that phone dies, and after some more praying around a dining table, the Laughlins continue to move. On Fire is basically a series of stops and starts like this.
Foushee and Dourif give the strongest performances in an otherwise thin premise with surface-level character development. If you're looking for a wildfire film with a bit more substance, check out the acclaimed Afire from earlier this year. In On Fire, it also doesn't help that the driving sequences appear very green-screened, a look that also contributed to the disappointing end result that is Expend4bles. Despite the cheesy effects, there's no denying the impact felt in watching the countryside burn in On Fire. The title cards that appear before the film's end credits remind us of just how destructive these wildfires can be — and have been in the recent past.
From Cineverse, On Fire opens only in theaters Sept. 29.
SAG-AFTRA has approved an interim agreement for On Fire since the film is being released by Cineverse, an independent, non-AMPTP affiliated distributor. Under the terms, members “may work on these productions without being in violation of the strike order,” per the guild. The entire team of On Fire expresses their gratitude to SAG-AFTRA for allowing the cast to promote On Fire during this challenging time for the industry.
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