FLIGHT RISK
US, 2025, 91 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace, Mark Wahlberg, Maaz Ali, Paul Ben-Victor.
Directed by Mel Gibson.
Best to consider first the issue of Mel Gibson, his reputation, personal, as a filmmaker. Many audiences react against Mel Gibson because of his strong views, his anti-Semitic outbursts in the past. (Catholic audiences are probably dismayed by his extreme views about the church, tradition, the inheritance from his father’s Conservative stances but will still go to see and even enjoy his films!).
In fact, Mel Gibson is an Oscar-winning director with Braveheart. He also directed Apocalypto and Hacksaw Ridge which have strong reputations. And, of course, there is The Passion of the Christ.
This 90 minute action show is a long way from these films. Gibson said he wanted to make it for sheer entertainment and that is what it offers. It is reminiscent of a number of films but that is the nature of the popular action show.
While Mark Wahlberg has top billing, above the title, the main strength of the film is with Michelle Dockery, Madolyn, taking some time off from Downton Abbey. She is an officer who has allowed someone to die on her watch and has been suspended, given the opportunity for rehabilitation, going to Alaska to apprehend a key witness against a violent financial criminal. The witness is Winston, played by Topher Grace, a timid desk person but shrewd in his management of money, incessantly chatty, but with the possibility of some kind of redemption and witness protection.
The bulk of the film takes place in the air during a flight across Alaska to Anchorage. Mark Wahlberg plays the good old boy pilot, even having the top of his head shaved which makes him seem more eerie! And, it very quickly emerges that he is not what he seems and, in fact, is a hired killer.
Which means then that there are lots of complications during the flight, guns, knives, but, especially, effective tasering. The plane is rickety, the mountain peaks ominously looming, Madolyn having to fly the plane, on automatic, getting guidance from an official who is flirtatious while giving his advice. Then there is the question of a leak in the department, suspicion on Madolyn’s contact, on her boss, and the taunts of the hitman pilot.
And, there is always the excitement of the crash landing.
Most entertainment action films are made up of elements that we are familiar with but with some variations. Same here.
- Expectations of Mel Gibson film? Of an action film? Action in the plane?
- The Alaskan settings, the town, the mountains, the city, the tarmac…? The musical score?
- Situation, Winston, his background, accounting, doing deals for criminals, under threat? Hiding in Alaska? His personality, chatter, his mother, fearful? Wanted as a witness?
- Madolyn, her history, the person killed under her watch, suspended, invited back, determined, the confrontation with Winston, taking him in? The plane flight to New York? Her contact with Janine through phone? Some suspicions of her? Contact with Coleridge the boss? The discovery of the truth? The ruthlessness, Janine’s death?
- The plane, the pilot, Mark Wahlberg, jovial old boy, the bald head? The chatter, the blood? Madolyn realising the truth, pulling the gun, the struggle, Tasering him? The reality of his being a hit man, knowing all about her, taunting her? The fights, tying him up, the spectacles, cutting loose? His personality, taunting?
- The pilot loose, the fight, Winston and the knife, his being stabbed?
- Madolyn, using her wits, strength, talking with Winston, the threats to him, untying him? The personal story, his mother? Autopilot? Talking with Janine, talking with Coleridge? The discussions with Hasan, jovial, flirting, his helping her land?
- The dramatic issues, the fights, the mountains, fuel diminishing, the landing, the wind, the crashing, the pilot thrown out, run over by the vehicle?
- Landing, the hospital for Winston, her meeting Hasan? The threats by Coleridge, her recording them? Vindication?
