Simply Perfect

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This terrible action movie will try the patience of anyone who's not in a coma. I don't know if I have some sort of problem with Dean Cain, but any film I've seen him in has turned about to be really boring. Firetrap is no exception. Despite the premise, it took four attempts to get through this film without falling asleep. Dean is a thief out on one last job – to get a disc from a building that's gone on fire while he's in it for some reason. Trapped with some other survivors, and pretending he's a cop, Dean must get the disc, escape, and probably help some other people get out too if he has the time. His token black sidekick is waiting outside in a van for him, although that hardly needs to be pointed out as there's always someone waiting in a van somewhere for people in these kinds of films (it helps break up the monotony of watching folks bickering all the time).In a case of how to do this kind of film wrong, everything in this film is done wrong. There's no real drama outside of the burning building. Folks bicker, Dean gets found out, and someone in the building isn't quite who they appear to be. Try staying awake to the end if you dare, because this is one bland film with a predictable plot line. It's the film equivalent of a Dutch crisp bake.

This film was so bad it became enjoyable. If you want to see a soap opera cast decide to do an action film, this is for you! Overacting, irrelevant incidents, implausible dialogue - it has it all. The main character has a split personality and can not make up his mind whether he is thief, a loving father or a hero who will risk his life for others. He is plausible in none of these roles. This sets the standard for many of the other characters. The boss of the company whose building is set ablaze displays the same unpredictability, and so does his wife. And the punch line - who has taken the "chip" - beggars belief. I found myself laughing heartily and for that reason, I recommend you watch it.

This was just another in my series of, "Oh, Dean Cain is in this, let's watch it" movies...so, I didn't set high expectations, although, since it was late at night, I DID expect to fall asleep. Surprise, surprise...I stayed awake the whole time. The movie isn't half bad. Aside from some cheap fire FX at times, the movie was held up by a decent story and decent acting, and managed to keep me guessing until the very end. The dialogue was never too cheesy, which is what you might expect from this type of movie, so overall, I was pretty pleased. It was also fun seeing actors from my childhood; Lori Petty from "Free Willy" and Richard Tyson from "Kindergarten Cop" (they've both had plenty of work since then, but nothing I've seen).An average flick, but interesting and fun to watch.

I am in awe of the number of people who consider this film to be decent...much less great! Do the majority of people even have basic standards for a film they watch? I just don't know anymore.This "commercial cinematic product" doesn't really deserve the respect of being called a film. To call Dean Cain talented is a gross injustice to anyone who actually has talent. I have had a lot of respect for Lori Petty but most of that has gone right down the tubes. At least her role was extremely small. Maybe she had a bill that desperately needed to get paid.The ignorance I saw while viewing "Firetrap" was amazing. Let me start out by getting this off my chest: if you can't show fire realistically then don't show it at all. Okay?!! It's an embarrassment to all involved when you show lame effects that don't even come close to simulating an actual burning building.Some interesting tidbits: 1. A janitor opens the door to a large storage closet and finds the entire room engulfed in flames. What does he do? He tries to put out the fire with his broom! 2. The same janitor (who knows the building is on fire) later comes across a door marked "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS". His brilliant mind tells him that it would be a great idea to open said door. Big mistake! 3. A woman is giving a fantastically generous donation of $100,000 to a greyhound rescue fund but...she's wearing a fur coat to the charity event they're holding! (Wouldn't people who care about animals kinda frown on that sort of thing?) 4. Several of the people in the movie are forced into a vault of some sort with massive steel walls that even an electromagnetic pulse(!!) couldn't penetrate. Yet they have a spacious air vent leading right into the back of the thing that anyone could crawl through. That sure seems like a lapse in security.I could go on and on but I have grown tiresome thinking about this lame movie. Our "hero" whom we are supposed to be cheering for is a career criminal who early on tries to kill some police officers. What a swell guy! If the general public wants to waste their minds away on this drivel then more power to them. I just wish I could have it erased from my memory. 1/10