Directed by:
Robert ZemeckisScreenplay:
John GatinsCinematography:
Don BurgessComposer:
Alan SilvestriCast:
Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Tamara Tunie, Nadine Velazquez, Garcelle Beauvais, Melissa Leo (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
In this action-packed mystery thriller, Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board. After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault, and what really happened on that plane? (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
I'm glad I caught up on this one. The combination of Robert Zemeckis and Denzel Washington sounded good and it worked. The opening 30 minutes with the plane crash is a decently intense beast and I liked the aftermath, the investigation and the subsequent trial where the protagonist is tried for alcohol and drugs. I had fun and Denzel was excellent as always. 75%
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Flight is one of those movies that stands on a good premise and a riveting performance by the lead actor. The most important step in getting rid of any addiction is admitting that you have a problem. Without that, you can never start! The pilot Whip, played by Denzel Washington, might have something to say about that, as he is ironically considered both a hero who saved a hundred lives and a bad guy who broke the law. The contrast of good and evil, lying and self-awareness are the main themes of the film. The addition of another troubled person, Kelly Reilly, only further enhanced the fact and emphasis that is placed on addiction in its various forms. The airplane scenes were very impressive, as were the final preparations for the hearing and the very end. The small role for John Goodman was also very satisfying. All in all, an above average film with a compelling story and good actors that is a psychological probe into the problems of today's population.
R
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The authentically tattered Denzel Washington turns in a great acting performance. Robert Zemeckis directs as if he himself is sobering up after a (CGI) bender. The timeless story of (in)voluntary dependence and the regaining of lost control is sometimes told in a unfocused way and very slowly so that we can grasp every idea conveyed to us and almost undramatically (for example, the suspense of the airborne introduction is weakened by the second storyline with Nicole). Whereas the first, more action-oriented half of the film, which promises a quick transformation of the protagonist, is still nicely rhythmised with alternating quiet scenes and scenes underscored with modern music, everything blends together in the second half and the hope for change diminishes. After being jolted by the plane crash, thanks to which he literally gets his feet back on the ground, Whip is determined to get his life in order. However, his determination is perceptibly weakened by the necessity of facing his own misconduct and waging a battle whose cause he considers to be nonsensical. Though Whip did a heroic deed, he is not a Hollywood-style movie hero. In a crime thriller, he would be both the culprit and the investigator, and Washington succeeds in brilliantly portraying this inner ambivalence even though he wasn’t given many big dramatic moments or the possibility to bring clarity to his character’s gradual transformation. He doesn’t undergo continuous development toward being better and, as such, he does not deserve sympathy. The director is interested in him without pathos, without empathy, as if he is merely an object to be observed; there is definitely nothing cool about his constant intoxication (so there are no subjective shots, no boozy sequences with rock music). SPOILER – With views from the outside, when Whip becomes a witness to his own actions (through television news reports), Zemeckis lays the groundwork for the final revelation of who has (apparently) held the narrative perspective throughout the film. The film also comes across exactly like a sincere confession by a reformed sinner who despises his former self. – END SPOILER. Flight is an exemplary “crisis” film. Somewhat naïvely, but without exaggeration or the cheapest screenwriting tricks (those don’t come until the end), it warns against seeking solace in drugs and alcohol. Though the film has hints of a religious message, deliverance ultimately doesn’t come in the form of God (at whose fanatical following Flight glances askew), but simply and ordinarily in the form of family. Cynicism aside, even such films as this are necessary today. 70%
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It was impossible not to know about this movie before its premiere. You see, I found the premise really appealing anytime I thought about it. I mean who wouldn’t like to see an airplane pilot save most of the passengers and crew with an absolutely incredible maneuver, all this while drunk and as high as a kite? The scene of the plane crash is so brutal that I could barely breathe in the first thirty minutes of the movie. Then the movie moves on to the investigation and at that point I sort of thought that the film would slow down somewhat. It did, but surprisingly, it didn’t get boring. For a movie that takes two hours and fifteen minutes, I must say ‘good job!’. On top of that, Denzel delivers a very good performance. I haven’t seen a person dissected so naturally in a movie for a long time. Absurdity mixes with reality, but the result and the final scene were definitely worth it.
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A slow, moderate and conservative film with as much humanism as possible and a proper moral lesson at the end. Robert Zemeckis is a skilled director and leads the actors excellently and Denzel Washington delivers an extraordinary performance. The crash scene is not as intense as I imagined, but overall the drama is okay. The hero behaves logically, I enjoyed the dialogue sequences, and we also have a solid twist. The character of Kelly Reilly seems a bit redundant and forced (just to have a romantic storyline), but that's a minor detail. Maybe not the second Forrest Gump, but I expected something much shallower.
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