Code 7500 - Un avion en détresse

7500 (2019) starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not your average thriller/action movie. Where other movies would have shootouts, a bomb go off, the engines fail, or someone sucked out of an open window, 7500 is more realistic. Sure, seeing some reviews about how ATC's demeanor is off or the plane details are wrong is fair. But that is missing the point. A group of Islamic terrorists are attempting to hijack a plane during a standard flight from Berlin to Paris and American first officer Tobias Ellis is the only one who can avert disaster. This movie keeps you on the edge of your seat if you allow it to and is very good.

I had a good time with this film. The story and the characters were immersive, the editing and the pace were spot on, but the lack of a soundtrack and the cinematography were negatives for me. It almost has an indie-film quality going on. The style(or lack thereof) may put off your typical moviegoer but looking past those oddities reveals a hidden gem of a movie.

I was surprised to see this movie only has a 6.3 rating. I think audiences are too used to the same clichéd story structure we see in pretty much all action movies; the villain causes mayhem, the protagonist underdog steps-up, and against all odds defeats the evil, saves the day, is reunited with their love interest, and walks off a hero... roll credits. This movie challenges that cliché, and it does it in a brutal fashion. It's much more of a psychological-action movie than a classic action movie. There are no epic fight scenes, courageous last second acts of heroism or sudden unexpected plot twists. It's completely raw, "how would a post 9/11 airplane hijacking scenario unfold in real life conditions?". And that's exactly what you get, with almost no sugar-coating. That's not to say that the movie doesn't conform to some clichés, but the brutal and harrowing reality it portrays is akin to a movie based on real events, yet this is completely fictional. To say the ending is abrupt is an understatement, I certainly had a "wait, what?" moment. But in hindsight, it's actually very fitting with the narrative of the movie. There's definitely a huge psychological element that will leave you feeling very uneasy and claustrophobic, but I personally praise it for its raw and unforgiving depiction of how a real-life hijacking could potentially play out.

7.5/10.

This movie gives an amazingly realistic look at the interplay that exist in actual hijacking scenarios. It is slower in pace and grittier in appearance and direction than what many expect from a Hollywood movie of this type and could be seen as more of a fictional "documentary" which I expect is the reason for the shockingly low reviews seen. However in my opinion the acting and direction of this movie make it one of the best in its genre and well worth watching.

Such a horribly gripping film that pictures what a minority have potentially been through. Superb acting throughout and leaves a tingle down your spine. Due to the pre ratings I expected nothing really and so was pleasantly surprised. JGL is becoming an actor well ahead of his times and quite rightly so. Well done sir.