Flight (2012)

An airline pilot saves almost all his passengers on his malfunctioning airliner which eventually crashed, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling.

Jess’ Review

I went into Flight expecting a scary plane crash to span the duration of the film and an ensuing heroic rescue at its end. And whilst there was most definitely a scary plane crash scene, it provided only a small fraction of what was otherwise a remarkably gripping story of addiction and accountability.

Starring Denzel Washington as troubled pilot, Whip Whitaker, Flight had far more depth than your run-of-the-mill disaster film. Though in fairness, this might be on account of my preconceived expectations which were based solely on the title of the film. This isn’t a disaster film. This is a well-acted and well-shot drama depicting the aftermath of an substantial, airline accident.

The opening quarter is intense to say the least; and succeeded in completely reawakening my fear of flying. It captured the chaos and sheer terror of the situation with realism and sincerity. It felt true to life - perhaps a little over-the-top in brief moments, but for the most part was sickeningly accurate in its portrayal. However, this scene, as impactful as it was, only provides the hellish backdrop for Whip’s story. From here on out, Flight takes a jarring shift of tone and sets out its identity as a story of redemption.

Denzel Washington does a fantastic job as the part-disgraced, part-hero pilot. Whip is a complex character, burdened by his inner demons which ever-so gradually creep towards the surface throughout the film’s duration. It’s an impressive, emotional performance of a broken man coming to terms with the extent of his damage. He does a remarkable job, sympathetic as much as he is sometimes infuriating to the audience. It feels raw, honest, and really brings life to the story. Flight also offers up an impressive supporting cast of Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, Don Cheadle and John Goodman - the latter, refreshingly comedic amidst the gloom. They’re heavyweights of the industry and do a superb job at bolstering the calibre of an already impressive film.

Whilst I was thoroughly engaged with the plot throughout, Flight did feel long. Perhaps unnecessarily long. It’s full of heavy subject matter that explores themes of alcoholism, personal responsibility, religion, family and redemption - to name a few. It’s a lot to work through, and the bleak tone that encapsulates Whip as he hits rock bottom can be quite fatiguing to watch.

If you’re looking for an action-packed movie about a plane crash, there are a plethora of options to satiate your hunger - but Flight, is not one of them. This is an intelligent, gritty film with heartfelt performances and difficult subject matter. A powerful character study of a broken man, Flight is most definitely worth a watch.

7.5/10

---

Sam’s Review

Flight is held up by the acting performances. Of course, Denzel Washington, who plays the in-denial alcoholic pilot Whip, is riveting. His hypnotic voice paired with his emotive eyes are two reasons he is such an authoritative presence. It has a brilliant supporting cast, though the stand out is John Goodman. Since I saw The Big LebowskiI’ve thought Goodman was a genius, and his role in The Righteous Gemstones has only cemented that. His charming drawl and high energy are simply intoxicating.

The story isn’t as scintillating. In fairness to Flight, this could be because I was exhausted while watching it. Though it dragged. With a runtime of 2 hours 18 minutes, it felt too long. My attention wandered. Again, perhaps because I was too tired to give this film the attention it deserved. It felt as if it was trying to do too much. Complex themes, such as alcoholism and addiction, could have been explored further. Admittedly, they did a good job of showing how hard it is to stop. Yet, it still felt like a surface level. I’d have been intrigued to see why he couldn’t stop. And the relationship with Nicole (Kelly Reilly) could have been cut from the film entirely and made little difference to the narrative. It was rushed, didn’t really create a connection between the two characters and made little sense.

That’s not to say the story is bad, just that it could have been so much more. Cut the forced love interest, and really dig deep into the addiction. Yet there is much to be commended. Certainly there are the more emotional moments, as you see Whip struggle to get past the crash. And the crash itself is enthralling. Even knowing that it wasn’t real, I still was on the edge of my seat. It’s certainly enough for me to question getting on a plane again.

It’s a middling film, made substantially better by the acting, most notably the thunderous performance of Denzel. It’s an interesting look into the pain that addiction can cause, and the difficulty of attempting to get better. It’s certainly worth a watch, as long as you’ve got the time and are well rested.

7/10