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6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Two-Alarm Fire remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have seven minutes to kill and a soft spot for classic rubber-hose animation, sure. It’s perfect for people who like their comedy loud and their plot points completely discarded in favor of a good punch-up. If you’re looking for a coherent story about emergency services, you’re going to be miserable. Honestly, anyone who takes their cartoons with a side of actual safety protocols should probably skip this.
The whole thing is basically an excuse to watch these two idiots run into a burning building and ignore the fire entirely. Olive Oyl is stuck in the middle, looking helpless, as per usual. I swear, the fire seems less dangerous than the ego of these two guys.
There is this one moment where Bluto tries to use a hose, but instead of aiming it at the flames, he just ends up spraying Popeye in the face. It’s classic, sure, but it feels like the animation team was just bored by that point. You can almost see the gears grinding.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy found in A Ripping Time, where the logic is just whatever makes the next gag work. These cartoons don't care about physics, and honestly, why should they? Sometimes you just want to see a guy eat a can of spinach and turn into a literal jackhammer.
The pacing is absolutely breakneck. It doesn't give you a second to think about the fact that this woman's house is literally collapsing around her. It’s just punch, counter-punch, whistle, repeat. It’s barely a story, but it’s a heck of a workout for the animators.
I found myself wondering if they ever actually saved the house. I don't think they did. They just got tired of hitting each other and called it a day. Classic. 🚒🥊