Mayday

Here was a movie that delivered exaxtly what I paid for. I went on a Friday night. Got a burger and a beer at the bar next to the theater, then got to watch a perfect Friday night movie. We need more of these types of films. Thrilling, edge of your seat action. Cool characters. Beautiful women. Dangerous bad guys. I think the important thing is not to over think it. Gerald Butler was perfect for the role. I could have seen Harrison Ford play this part well 30 years ago. Mike Colter was great as well. Looking forward to more with him. Overall, this one is definitely worth your time if you want a action 101 Friday night flick.

Yeah, it's constructed entirely out of familiar parts, without a single groundbreaking or original element. But Plane is able to fly above its generic ground by making the most of its actors and inherently tension-rich premise.

Gerard Butler actually gives his best performance in years here. If this was just a paycheck for him, he certainly doesn't act like it.

And director Jean-François Richet wisely paces the film in such a way that the characters have tangible time to breathe and take in what's happening between bursts of frantic action. He allows his actors time with lengthy shots to display the emotion their characters ought to feel.

And because we see the characters feeling it, we feel it too. Even though the plot is largely predictable and formulaic, I felt the white-knuckle tension of the brutal action and the entire unhinged hostage situation because the visual focus of the director is always on the people in this story and the fear they feel.

Richet uses almost exclusively handheld camerawork for this film, and I have mixed feelings on that. It does help with chaotic sequences to elevate the unease, but it also hinders the film when we should be seeing the outcome of fight sequences and it's sometimes obscured.

Although I probably won't be watching it again and will likely forget about it soon, this is a surprisingly more-than-functional action flick that is certainly worth a watch for escapist entertainment.

Rebellious pilot Brodie Torrance faces a tough challenge when his plane is struck by lightning, forcing him to land on an island run by a gang of militia.

The title suits this film beautifully, plain and simple, monosyllabic, the perfect film to switch your mind off to, and embrace your inner bloke.

It's so over the top and wild, but super entertaining, you can't help but get caught up in it. A shoot 'em up, big guns, ridiculous testosterone charged dialogue, and a gorilla state that would have worked beautifully back in The Avengers TV series from the 60's.

The only shock, is that Nicholas Cage didn't play the part, it's the sort of film he'd have fitted into beautifully. Fortunately Butler is another one who will take on any role.

Not my usual kind of film, but bizarrely, I rather enjoyed it.

7/10.

Plane is a good action film filled with intense acting, gunshots, fights, and story. The story goes along with Captain Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) flying his crew and passengers on an airplane with an dangerous criminal, Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter) on board. When they fly into international waters that everything does not go according to plan. A violent storm strikes the plane causing them to land in a remote island somewhere in the Philippines filled with armed rebels. Brodie Torrance, Gaspare, and the military must rescue and escape with the crew and passengers before everything goes wrong. Overall, I liked it for what it is that a plane crash goes wrong and has to rescue everyone safely from the rebels. Also, Gerard Butler does not miss with his action films in this one. It is a good watch in theaters for a good action start in 2023.

The CG isn't convincing but that can't stop Plane from being a great 90s throwback that knows exactly how to execute all the expected genre tropes in fun and satisfying fashion and further proves that leading man Gerard Butler is the current king of B movies.

Butler himself gives a terrific lead performance, charming and confident with the ability to humanise his leading man in a few scenes that linger on the shock and horror at the situation. Mike Colter is great with a deliberately closed off performance that makes him hard to read in a way that increases the tension.

Together the two of them make for a likeable duo and don't overdo it with the rapport. Also worthy of mention is Tony Goldwyn whose character may be one note but he elevates the role so much and rescues his scenes out of their mundane nature.

Jean-François Richet's direction is so good, the camera is constantly mobile and most importantly always comprehensible with a standout one take early on that kicks things off beautifully. The music by Marco Beltrami and Marcus Trumpp is so overly dramatic and that's exactly why it works.

The pacing is basically perfect as well, at a tight 107 mins it doesn't even come close to over staying it's welcome, taking just the right amount of time to set everything up and build up to the crash and once they're on the island it just goes and does not let up.