FLIGHT
(Paramount)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo
It’s always nice to see Robert Zemeckis back in the director’s chair; the man was responsible for a pair of childhood favourites (Back To The Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and one of the most underrated horror-thrillers in recent memory (What Lies Beneath).
Even his mostly maligned films, the likes of Beowulf and Cast Away, are enjoyable.
Denzel Washington is incredible, too. I can’t think of a single performance I didn’t enjoy.
The man is magnetic every time he takes the screen, even in overlooked films like Deja Vu or Man On Fire. And he’s brilliant here, a tour de force as commercial pilot Whip Whitaker, taking control of (almost) every scene.
But for whatever reason, I didn’t completely buy into Flight. The pieces were there – Zemeckis’ strong direction matched Washington’s memorable leading performance and, really, that’s all the film needed.
Yet I found myself hankering for something more from the film. Flight opens with one of the most intense plane crashes ever to appear on screen.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say the scene is a masterpiece. From there, it turns into a character study, a rapid unravelling of Whitaker as he faces his own demons in the wake of the accident.
And none of it feels as important or as engrossing as that plane crash. Flight is a good movie. If you’re a fan of strong performances, then Washington’s turn here is must-see.
The film, however, peaks early and doesn’t quite hit that same level again.
It’s all watchable. It’s all fine. But I found myself waiting for a scene that would have that same effect on me, as a viewer. No such scene arrived.
Washington is great. Zemeckis’ direction is great. Just don’t get your hopes up for a consistently brilliant film. You might be disappointed.
Video Quality: 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.40:1.
Audio Quality: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
Special Features: Origins Of Flight featurette; The Making Of Flight featurette; Anatomy Of A Plane Crash featurette; Q&A Highlights.
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