Fight or Flight

First off this movie was way better than I ever anticipated. The wife and I just happened to stumble across it, and we're both in for the ride from the start. Josh Hartnett and Charithra Chandran were both great in this picture; especially the ruthless fight scenes.

Hats off to the "Runaway Bride of Bridgerton"; like seriously who knew she had action movie skills!

The movie was very humorous as well, with some similarities to comedic moments in Bullet Train; however, they didn't go out the way trying to explain characters throughout the movie which was a huge plus.

Can't wait to see what they do next!

Fight or Flight is basically Bullet Train but on a plane. More specifically the plot is about Josh Hartnett playing an exiled spec ops who is called for one last mission to retrieve a wanted criminal from an airplane full of assassins. If you like Bullet Train then you will like this movie. I really enjoy Josh Hartnett in general and he does a great job as the leading man. Charithra Chandran is also great as a reluctant flight attendant who helps Josh's character. Overall the cast is good and the story is fun but wacky. There is a subplot revolving around the company who hired Josh that honestly the reveal is super head scratching. I kinda get with what they are going for but it feels totally unnecessary. The movie does gives you the gruesome fights and deaths it advertises. My biggest complaint though is I wish it went further with its baddies like Bullet Train did. You remembered all of the weird gimmicky assassins and added to the charm of the movie. For Fight or Flight, other than 1 or 2 gimmicky assassins, the rest are just some nameless boring stand ins. The movie also ends in a cliffhanger, hinting at a sequel which is really head scratching. But I still enjoyed it for the wacky story and kills.

Fight or Flight is a perfect example of a fun movie. So, what makes a fun action flick? Let's explore.

First, you have to have good pacing. Things need to move, plot points need to happen frequently, slow parts/character moments need to be relatively short. This movie succeeds.

Second, the action needs to be on the crazy side, a bit over-the-top. No holding back, no cowardly PG-13 rating. Blood and gore are a plus. And a cherry on top would be if the action is filmed clearly, easy for the viewer to see. This movie succeeds.

Third, add some humor, preferably organic to the premise as opposed to inserting random jokes. If the tone of the movie is bloody, then use the bloodiness for humor. Make me laugh at the extent of the carnage. This movie succeeds.

Josh Hartnett does a great job in this role, especially with the humor. I had an awesome time with this movie and would watch it again.

(1 viewing, 5/5/2025)

I was really impressed with Josh's Peter Lorresque turn in last year's underrated Trap. However after a long lay-off to raise a family his choices have been kind of sketchy, and something about his essential midwestern idealism doesn't read as a jaded former operative called out of his drunken stupor in Thailand to find a spy on a transcontinental flight back to the states. There's kind of an interesting Agatha Christie quality to his queries of whom on the flight it could be between the usual "when are they adding stunt work as an Oscars category?" over-choreographed fight scenes, but the film of course feels cobbled together from familiar sources (the expletive-filled lazy dialogue in the agency with a strangely Jessica Chastainesque Katee Sackoff made one miss the subtleties of Black Book). The film offered intriguing questions ("Is there really a full shower offered in Malaysian Business Class?"), but it'd be neat if say the BBC did a series about the flight crew of one of these snazzy flights alone rather than having Liam, Brad or Josh beating up people around them; they seem like an interesting, fun bunch. Oh well, caught my favorite two minutes of Pugh and Harbour in Thunderbolts again and Gene Hackman marathon on TCM tonight. Good enough for me. Cheers!

Flight or Fight is ridiculous. Properly stupid film. Well over the top in every way.

Acting is so bad but funny and this is a darn decent watch.

The story is nothing not seen before.

Josh Hartnett is another in a long line of movie super spies with ridiculous skills in fighting etc.

But I'll put all that to the side because to be fair this film has some absolutely hilarious fight scenes and plenty of blood and creative kills.

It's colorful to an almost cartoonesque degree, bright and bold and at least you can see what's happening! So that's a huge bonus.

The humour mostly hits.

It takes about 5 minutes to work out who the 'baddie' is but this ain't Agatha Christie so probably best to forget that.

Just watch for the absolutely mental fight scenes. Because that's all this is.