The Snapshot: Two great performances are the highlight in this silly thriller about an Alaskan plane ride gone wrong.
Flight Risk
5 out of 10
14A, 1hr 31mins. Thriller Drama.
Directed by Mel Gibson.
Starring Michelle Dockery, Mark Wahlberg and Topher Grace.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, Cineplex Winston Churchill & VIP and Cineplex Oakville & VIP.
Fasten your seatbelts: audiences headed to Flight Risk at the movies this weekend might have some fun. But they’re also in for some turbulence.
Director Mel Gibson has produced a pulpy, tense action thriller with the kind of intimacy and aggressive concept commitment that defined the golden age of shallow action pics from the 1980s and 90s.
In that vein, Flight Risk has the feeling of a cheap blockbuster video DVD discovery from 20 years ago made with a modern production value. Captivating, bright cinematography and three well-written (if sometimes campy) characters make the film surprisingly fun to watch, even amidst the plot holes and predictability.
The basic premise sees U.S. marshal Madelyn (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a money laundering criminal Winston (Topher Grace) to testify as a witness in a mafia case, bringing down the boss.
Winston’s been hiding in Alaska for his own safety. But as he’s put on a bush plane through the wilderness - surprise! The pilot (Mark Wahlberg) turns out to be a sadistic hitman, sent to kill both Madelyn and Winston, making sure they miss the trial.
This is a terrific set up for a tight, focused thriller script. And it’s elevated by some straightforward and earnest performances from Dockery and Grace as an unlikely pair forced to land the plane in danger.
Wahlberg, billed as the star, is gloriously over-the-top, and changes the film’s serious tone quite dramatically. His dialogue is dumb, violent, and nasty, and he plays the part like a madman. Instead of being a clever or exciting villain, instead his work is more distracting.
The biggest problem with Flight Risk is the screenplay’s whiplash from a grave, thoughtful thriller with clear stakes into a messy, goofy character web. It doesn’t help that some of the radio calls and phone call scenes come off as incredibly cheesy.
At only 90 minutes, there’s no superfluous plot or twists. Having that focus and great technical production is an asset, and that means however ridiculous the movie becomes, it’s still passively enjoyable to watch.
Overall, it’s not a great piece of cinema and there’s certainly no risks being taken. But for some fun, forgettable thrills in the sky, it’ll do the trick for an easy night out.
Even if it is a bit, well, flighty.
