Only the Brave

The firefighting sequences evoke classic war films, as do the moments when the team returns “home from the line”.

Despite its early unevenness, “Only the Brave” tells its story in a sincere and relatively non-exploitative manner that isn’t overly dominated by visual effects, and the cast does some very good work as well.

Josh Brolin has rarely been better than in this role as the team’s leader, Eric Marsh.

The blending of practical effects and CGI is impressive...

...appear realistically captured. Director Joseph Kosinski (“Tron: Legacy”) indulges his underappreciated affinity for the fantastical in visuals of a bear engulfed in flames...