Flight Risk

'Flight Risk' is a film that I'm not totally convinced by, though in the end I think I like it. On the one hand, it has inconsistent suspense, has dodgy humour and doesn't truly entertain like an action thriller ought to. On the other hand, the performances are good, the exterior plane shots are convincing and the twisty nature makes it watchable.

Mark Wahlberg (amusing accent), Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace are actors that I enjoyed watching here, Grace manages to overcome some cringey dialogue that was (hopefully, for his sake) written for him; the banter isn't great, the more serious stuff he is solid at. Monib Abhat also has iffy comedy, though does make it work more; a mostly voice role helps.

Overall, a fine time at the movies. Like last week, I was fortunately able to watch it as part of a double header on the big screen - this time with Steven Soderbergh's 'Presence'. Back-to-back 90 minutes, I'm cool with long run times but sometimes its nice to have films of such a length. For what it's worth, that other flick is the better.

With the boss of the "Moretti" crime family about to go on trial, his accountant "Winston" (Topher Grace) thought it better to skedaddle to the Alaskan wilderness. Unluckily for him, determined deputy marshal "Madolyn" (Michelle Dockery) tracks him down and engages the pilot of a single-prop aircraft to fly him back to New York to turn state's evidence. The pilot (Mark Wahlberg) is one of those annoyingly chirpy guys and off they set. It's gonna be a bumpy ride, but after she notices a few scars on this man, it proves to be a great deal bumpier as their tiny little cockpit becomes the scene for quite a power struggle. It's that claustrophobic environment and quite an engaging effort from Wahlberg that deliver here as this airborne game of cat and mouse hots up. Sure, it does repeat itself once too often and the story is really all quite predictably weak, but the scenario does work well enough and with Grace's wise-cracking and a competent performance from Dockery it's actually not a bad watch for ninety minutes.

Mark Wahlberg crashes a CIA helicopter into an aeroplane then beats up some Koreans. Masterpiece.

Flight Risk (2025) starts off promising, with a strong setup, solid camera work, and an intriguing atmosphere. The first few shots in the cabin pull you in, and the takeoff sequence gives some nice scenic visuals. But once the plane gets in the air, the movie loses its edge. The direction is competent but lacks any real flair, shifting into a standard back-and-forth between characters that makes everything feel predictable. The plot tries to build tension with espionage and intrigue, but it never fully develops. There are a lot of questionable decisions made by the characters, and the script doesn’t do much to make them feel believable.

Mark Wahlberg delivers a solid performance, holding his character well, but the supporting cast doesn’t bring much to the table. The CGI is a weak point, especially considering how much the movie relies on it. With most of the story taking place inside the plane, you'd expect at least the exterior shots to be convincing, but they aren't. The action sequences feel choppy, and some moments defy logic in ways that take you out of the experience. The score is there, but nothing stands out. Overall, Flight Risk had potential but ends up being an average thriller that leans too much on familiar tropes without adding anything new.

Flight Risk crashes and burns in spectacular fashion. It's so confused about its own identity that it never takes off. It awkwardly straddles the line between brainless action flick and tense, claustrophobic thriller, failing miserably at both. The overall writing is a disaster, with dialogue so wooden that even the most mundane conversations feel like an endurance test. The pacing is just as dreadful, with lifeless, generic interactions dragging between absurd fight sequences. In addition to the unthinkable level of suspension of disbelief, the cast is also unable to improve the appalling material.

Topher Grace delivers an awful performance, while Michelle Dockery and Mark Wahlberg - who admittedly commits to his lunatic role - can't escape the movie's overwhelming ridiculousness. Wahlberg's bald head and absurd dialogue make it impossible to take him seriously. But the real disappointment is Mel Gibson, whose direction is incomprehensibly dull. For the man behind Braveheart and Hacksaw Ridge, this is an embarrassingly uninspired effort. Adding insult to injury, the film's noticeable green screen and atrocious VFX make everything look cheap and artificial.

One of the worst films of the last few years.