Airplane , 2023.
Directed by Jean-Francois Richet.
Gerard Butler, Mike Coulter, Yosan Ahn, Tony Goldwyn, Daniela Pineda, Paul Ben-Victor, Remy Adeleke, Joey Slotnick, Evan Dean Taylor, Clara de los Reyes, Kelly Gill, Hayley Hecking, Lilly Krug, Ole Treven Quinn McPherson, Amber Rivera Modesto Lassen, Jeff Francisco, Ariel Felix, Rose Ishai, Jessica Nam, Ricky Robles Cruz, Angel Fabian Rivera, Heather Seifert and Kate Bisset.
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A commercial airline pilot finds himself in a war zone after he is forced to crash-land during a terrible storm.
Since Airplane is such a ridiculously simple title for a movie, it's also a creative choice that works in director Jean-Francois Richet's favor (the remake of The Attack on Precinct 13 ). This is not to say that anyone expects heavy drama from a Gerard Butler movie, but all the marketing has made it clear that you should leave your brain at home. Of course, self-awareness alone isn't enough to beat the silly story, but Gerard Butler's gratuitous on-again-off-again portrayal has incredible charm.
This time around, Gerard Butler plays commercial pilot Brody Torrance, using a Scottish accent to deliver undeniable gags with plane-mechanical fixes as absurdly impossible situations that elicit giggles while grabbing his brain. Some of the decisions that advance the plot and delay passengers on a New Year's flight from Singapore to Japan are incredibly stupid, like unfastening your seatbelt during extreme turbulence or getting around a fallen phone. However, they naturally fall into the atmosphere of this goofy action movie, resulting in an excuse to watch Gerard Butler and Mike Colter save the day.
Handcuffed and ready for delivery, Mike Colter's burly Louis Gaspard proves an invaluable asset as a lightning strike cuts the plane's power, forcing Brody and his trusted co-pilot Dilly (Yosan Ahn) to fly off the island. Hula region so devastated by the mercenaries that the Philippine army refused to intervene. Instead of prompting any of the passengers (mostly a bunch of interchangeable cool jerks with one exception) to ask for help and information about their whereabouts, Brody struggles with his morals before deciding to let Lois go free.
To almost no one's surprise, Louie is a dark man whose life is falling apart because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time and decides to support Brod. One is to protect his passengers at all costs (a complex matter Gerard Butler aptly explains) and the other is to seek freedom. The character work is solid, finding moments of genuine humanity amidst the improbability of the narrative.
Airplane is a far-fetched movie that requires a lot of commentary on disbelief, but once the characters are on that island and in a war zone where a very creepy Brody and Louie are fighting for everyone's lives, the action scenes have a driving force. . The hand-to-hand fight sequence between Brody and the mercenaries lasts several minutes and is executed in a single take, allowing the audience to experience the visceral brutality of the battle.
There's also a grit to the violence that works surprisingly well, a counter to the premise's inherent absurdity. A truly thrilling climax where the filmmakers show a knack for creating sustained tension and bloody thrills. Perhaps most surprisingly, cinematographer Brendan Galvin has captured stunning images, particularly with his use of mirrors and varied color palettes.
However, Charles Cummings and JPDevis have no interest in knowing what is going on in this foreign country other than being evil. They are holding stakeholders hostage for ransom and that we know. There is a desire to know more about what happened in that real place, but I think Gerard Butler's movie is not the place to look for those answers. Regardless, despite the weak characterization, militia leader Gunmar (Evan Dan Taylor) is ruthless and terrifying.
Unfortunately, off the island and at the airline's headquarters, there's an extra episode where corporate crisis manager Scarsdale (Tony Goldwyn) plots a bailout with his mercenaries, increasingly at odds with the president, more PR and what's next. . who are they. At least in the negative press instead of letting everyone live. This thematic subversion primarily undermines the film's forward momentum by pitting actions over saving lives.
Otherwise, Plane is a solid Gerard Butler action piece with Mike Colter playing to his strengths. It's loud, senseless and brutal, but endearingly laughable, intended or not. It's competent and emotive, handling a competent script that lends itself to clichés and sentimentality.
Flashing Myths Rating – Movie: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Koeder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics' Choice Association. He is also the editor of Flickering Myth Reviews. Stay tuned here for new feedback, follow me on Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at [email protected]
