Original title: | Flight Risk |
Director: | Mel Gibson |
Release: | Cinema |
Running time: | 91 minutes |
Release date: | 24 january 2025 |
Rating: |
When you hear the premise of Flight Risk, you might wonder whether you're in for a thriller or an allusion to a joke: A U.S. Marshal, a witness and a deranged pilot board a small plane. What ensues, however, is a film that may not reach cinematic heights, but does enough aerial barrel rolls to keep you on the edge of your seat. Directed by Mel Gibson, the cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace. This confined thriller flirts with the absurd at times, but lands, albeit shakily, on the runway of effective, absorbing entertainment.
Mark Wahlberg steps into uncharted territory, playing a bald psychopath with a Southern drawl that's as unconvincing as it is entertaining. He clearly seems to be enjoying himself, channeling every ounce of his energy into a malevolent, joyous force. His character, Daryl Booth, is a hitman masquerading as a pilot, and his comb-over hairdo transformed into an ass reveal is a character trait in itself. Mark Wahlberg's intense stare and ominous lines - part sexual threat, part playground taunt - are hilariously out of place at times. Imagine him as a mix of his role in Fear and a particularly talkative Hannibal Lecter. He's not exactly terrifying, but he's the kind of villain who makes you uncomfortable, and not always in the way the film intended.
Michelle Dockery, known for her reserved elegance in Downton Abbey, becomes a true action star in the role of Madelyn Harris, a U.S. Marshal with a tragic history and a determination to do things the right way. Michelle Dockery is surprisingly effective in this role, her steely determination contrasting sharply with the chaos around her. However, her character development seems stuck on autopilot; she's either barking orders, gritting her teeth in turbulence, or inexplicably engaging in a flirtation with a remote pilot in the midst of crisis. It's a frustrating gap in an otherwise competent portrayal.
Finally, there's Topher Grace as Winston, the sniveling accountant turned state's witness. Topher Grace provides comic relief with a mix of sarcasm and panic that sometimes hits the mark, sometimes misses. His nervous demeanor and incessant sarcasm bring a certain charm, though the script leans a little too heavily on him for levity, especially in moments that demand tension. By the time he takes his inevitable moral stand, we wonder whether his transformation is deserved or merely the result of exhaustion caused by the film's relentless pace.
Speaking of the pace itself, Mel Gibson keeps the film's running time to 91 minutes, but the film's rhythm is as restless as the turbulence that shakes the plane. The story gets off to a fast start, with a solid set-up: The marshal played by Michelle Dockery is assigned to escort Winston from rural Alaska to Anchorage, where he is to testify against a crime boss. That's where Daryl comes in, whose overly friendly demeanor and gum-chewing drawl indicate he's not a real pilot. The first act builds a promising layer of tension as suspicions grow and the mid-air confrontation explodes. But once the film has revealed its cards, it struggles to maintain its altitude.
Mel Gibson's direction is competent but uninspired. The confined setting of the plane should heighten the tension, but the film often feels claustrophobic in the wrong way. The aerial sequences - mostly CGI shots of the plane in the Alaskan wilderness - lack the visceral punch needed to drive home the stakes. Instead, the emphasis is on awkward close-ups of the actors reacting to the turbulence, which range from grimaces to outright howls. And while the cockpit drama attempts to channel the tension of classics like Flight plan or Non-Stop, it rarely rises above the predictable.
It's in the screenplay, written by Jared Rosenberg, that Flight Risk runs into the most difficulties. Loaded with clumsy dialogue, the film often veers into unintentional comedy. The character Daryl delivers lines that oscillate between the threatening and the absurd, with frequent forays into juvenile humor. Meanwhile, the other characters are burdened by explanation-heavy exchanges and uninspired banter. The film also introduces a half-baked subplot involving a mole within the Marshal's office, but it's so underdeveloped as to be barely noticeable.
Despite its flaws, Flight Risk does have its moments. The interplay between Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace and Mark Wahlberg sometimes overflows with energy, particularly during the more physical confrontations. There's a palpable sense of desperation as the characters face the twin threats of a murderous pilot and their own inexperience in flying a plane. And while the final act descends into Looney Tunes-style physics, it's hard not to cringe at the audacity of some of the stunts. It's the kind of fun so bad it's good, it could make this film a future favorite.
Flight Risk is a B-movie in its own right, with its low-budget oddities and phony performances. It doesn't aspire to be anything more than a fast-paced, pulpy thriller, and in that sense, it succeeds - just barely. If you're willing to suspend your disbelief, forgive some painfully silly moments and accept the campiness, you may well enjoy the ride. For the rest of us, it's a flight you can safely ignore. Despite itself, this film is the cinematic equivalent of an in-flight meal: serviceable, occasionally satisfying, but ultimately forgettable. You wonder when you land on your return if the trip was worth it.
Flight Risk
Directed by Mel Gibson
Written by Jared Rosenberg
Produced by John Davis, John Fox, Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Topher Grace, Michelle Dockery
Cinematography : Johnny Derango
Music by Antônio Pinto
Production companies : Davis Entertainment, Icon Productions
Distributed by Lionsgate (United States), Metropolitan FilmExport (France)
Release date: January 22, 2025 (France), January 24, 2025 (United States)
Running time : 91 minutes
Seen January 22, 2025 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 10 seat A19
Mulder's Mark:
What was supposed to be a simple transfer of a key witness, named Winston, in a mafia case, turns out to be more perilous than expected. Right from the start of the film, we're settled inside a small tourist plane bound for Anchorage, with a trio on board: pilot Daryl Booth, US Marshals Madelyn Harris, a young woman, and the witness Winston, whom she must escort and watch over. The setting outside is idyllic, splendid as the plane crosses and flies over the snowy Alaskan peaks under an azure sky. The pilot is pleasant and relaxed as he chews his gum, initiating conversation to lighten the somewhat tense atmosphere and gather information from his passengers. He's not used to taking US Marshals on board his plane, but rather thrill-seeking tourists. Winston, seated behind the pilot, is anxious and uneasy, and Harris isn't feeling very reassured in this little plane either, but Daryl Booth knows his aircraft well and tells them that turbulence and gusts of wind are normal in this region, and that they can trust him.
The pilot's curious nature makes him increasingly interested in Madelyn and wants to know why she's on this mission, who she is and what her private life is like. Madelyn answers half-heartedly, more concerned with keeping an eye on the cockpit. The pilot begins to annoy her with his questions, his insistence on not telling her the exact route, the radio linking them to Anchorage working only intermittently. Are they lost far from any airport? Madelyn begins to doubt the professionalism and competence of this over-confident and over-familiar pilot.
An incident soon disrupts Winston, and with it, the climate on board becomes more and more oppressive and deteriorates. Little by little, we don't know why, but we feel it, and an anguish without reason will undoubtedly grip the viewer. In his direction, Mel Gibson has skilfully distilled suspense in small successive touches, a scenario that could recall the suffocating atmosphere of Shinning. There's never a dull moment in this eight-parter, where unexpected scenes startle us, and the characters grow in depth, demonstrating self-sacrifice and helping each other through unexpected events. We sense that something intense is about to happen, with no possibility of outside help, which accentuates the passengers' fear.
The scenario seems plausible, as it is gripping throughout the film, except, it could be said, that the piloting of the plane does not seem very realistic, and could be a miracle. All three actors are excellent in their roles, with the film relying heavily on the pilot, played by Mark Wahlberg, US Marshals Madelyn Harris, played by Michelle Dockery, is breathtaking in her accuracy, and Winston, an initially timid character played by Topher Grace, transcends himself. The film's title is aptly chosen, Flight Risk, as it sums up the captivating, agonizing suspense. There's no special music to accompany this production. The film's running time of just 1.5 hours goes by fairly quickly, with the action accelerating shortly after the start of the film, practically all of which takes place on board the plane. This film falls into the category of thrillers, with strong emotions and a certain violence.
Flight Risk
Directed by Mel Gibson
Written by Jared Rosenberg
Produced by John Davis, John Fox, Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Topher Grace, Michelle Dockery
Cinematography : Johnny Derango
Music by Antônio Pinto
Production companies : Davis Entertainment, Icon Productions
Distributed by Lionsgate (United States), Metropolitan FilmExport (France)
Release date: January 22, 2025 (France), January 24, 2025 (United States)
Running time : 91 minutes
Viewed on January 07, 2025 at distributor Metropolitan FilmExport headquarters
Cookie's Mark: