New film, Flight Risk written by Mel Gibson (of all people) released in cinemas. So, what does this action-star-turned-director do with this high-flying action film? We’re going to dive into it, and we’ll warn you that we’ll be revealing spoilers since there’s so much to discuss and there’s a lot to be aware of.
The story unfolds as U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris escorts Winston Mobster, a mobster’s account accountant and federal witness from the bowels of Alaska to Seattle to give evidence. A situation his former boss does not want to occur. The flight from Anchorage which is piloted by a local man named Daryl turns to the worst. The story is set in Alaska’s Alaskan wilds, the tensions mount since not everyone on the plane is the person they claim to be. The plot promises drama and high stakes however the execution…well we’ll get to the details.
Initial Reactions
The film is predictable, but more importantly, I believe that Flight Risk may represent the future of cinema because it was produced with a modest budget with minimal set pieces and relied heavily on technology to enhance the visual world. Although I’m a proponent of utilizing technology smartly it’s not difficult for studios and producers to choose entertainment over storytelling. If they’re going to rely on technology they must make sure that the story is more rather than a formula that looks solid on paper, as humans are not accustomed to conventional storytelling. That means you need to test the limits of storytelling in order to make it stand out in the context of the framework of a formula. This is why I’m categorizing Flight Risk as a test of AI-generated storytelling, film production, and more and all studios (involved in this project as well) will be monitoring the film closely for how the film performs in the theaters. This is why I’m going explore the reasons the film is a paper-based model but fails in the production field and that’s the reason I’m going to dive into spoilers. If you don’t wish to be disappointed, visit me after watching the film and let’s discuss.
The Essential Framework: What Worked
Let’s get started with the elements that work in this film. As I mentioned, on paper the script appears to be solid. It is able to do everything it’s supposed to do, including plot beats, conflicts, and resolutions, in addition to the final scene and the payoff. It’s a step-by-step guide to writing a script where you are able to input your character’s name as well as the actions required and the tension that runs from scene to scene. The use of a small area, such as an airplane and a hazardous situation is a good option for creating tension and tension. Furthermore, putting a person such as a US Marshall, who binds her to moral rules as opposed to a hitman who is an unreliable person of chaos can also work.
The Cast
The most impressive thing to mention about this film is its ensemble and the chemistry that exists between Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace. Michelle Dockery plays US Marshall Madolyn Harris, a flawed agent, who convincingly portrays a character who is seeking to make amends for previous mistakes. Bringing Winston before a judge in Seattle provides her with that transformative moment. Their chemistry creates real moments of comedy and camaraderie, which is a highlight of the film.
Topher Grace is a charming and charming character to Winston the mob boss’s embezzled accountant. His wit and humor are convincing, resulting in an authenticity that anchors the narrative with a character that we are unable to help but admire.
However, Mark Wahlberg in the role of Daryl is a snarky character and swaying towards the character as a pilot who is a criminal as well as a hitman who runs his mouth until it reaches total annoyance. This is often the only weapon to use. However, it stops Harris as well as Winston from interacting with him, and it can also cause the audience to kind of resent him. Therefore, as irritating as the character Daryl is, his persona is effective — even when he’s sporting the most obvious bald cap ever seen in effects history.
The last character to be noted is Hassan’s voice (which differs from Hassan the man who pops up in the final scene of the film, because they used two actors for a reason). The pilot is the one who’s not seen. He speaks to Agent Harris through flying the plane. He also brings a bit of humanity and warmth to this chaos even though his flings feel a little too much and perhaps a bit too sexually inappropriate.
Where the Movie Ends
There are several places where the film goes down. I’ll go through the areas that I believe to be the most problematic for the film’s production.
The opening scene: Flight Risk begins with this beautiful scene of a motel that is snowy located in Nowhere, Alaska. The image is stunning with its warm-lit windows, snow-capped roofs as well as neon signs that are out from the front. After the initial scene, Agent Harris is seen looking out of the window of the hotel room to see a moose peering straight into the space prior to leaving. Both scenes were clearly produced through AI and CGI as it appeared like a fake film on screen, so I was compelled to create my own comparison videos to show you. I made use of Open AI’s Sora to create a similar motel shot as well as a moose outside of the window. I also gave them to a different reviewer who responded by commenting that both videos looked more realistic than the ones we were seeing on the screen.
The Studios Watching This Film: I will mention this to ensure to let you know the way the film introduces itself to us. It’s like handshakes when you first meet someone and gives you an idea of who that person is (or the movie’s purpose) to establish the stage for the experience. The first set of scenes provides the first introduction to the next scene and is a reflection of the high quality of the production with a budget of between $10 and 26 million dollars for the Hollywood production. Some of the studios who have their names in the film are Hammerstone, Icon, Lionsgate, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV among others. They have a vested desire to see the flight Risk Risk being successful in its box office, especially with such a low budget, as it will produce data to evaluate the cost of production versus profits in AI-driven productions.
I’ve previously mentioned that in the Predictable Script, Each conflict happens exactly as it should and is settled by solutions that are evident and clear, making them uninteresting or exciting surprising moments.
The setup is not real: What is the reason for Marshal Harris flying alone on the plane, when she had other agents in the hotel? Why would she trust blindly an airline pilot she’s never had the pleasure of meeting with such an important witness? Why didn’t she request his ID? What was the reason she didn’t get a picture of him? Why didn’t she just take the seat belt from her and grab her gun at the first sign of his bloody neck? This is a bizarre oversight considering the resources available for law enforcement agencies and the amount of equipment that the mob can use to silence witnesses such as Winston.
Daryl was invincible!: Daryl’s ability to continue popping up to cause trouble, turned him into a violent Jack in the Box. The man was taxed twice (once for two minutes, leaving a smoldering crater in his neck) and was then beaten by flare guns and even a gun (I am not sure how many). Additionally, he fractured the tip of his hand, and wounded by a knife, and fell from a plane in the course of an emergency touchdown … And fell to his feet! This is comical at best, and a bit absurd at worst, and when you’re trying to make suspense that is realistic The premise of a Jack in the Box villain extends believability to breaking point.
The Lost Knife: The missing knife was a knife that had been thrown away in the cockpit of the pilot It was repeated so many times that it was as if the cameraman was telling us to make it a key plot element to the narrative. Additionally, Winston gets hit in the face by it. Daryl puts it on Harris’s neck. Neither either of them is thinking “Where did that knife go?” Additionally, isn’t it the first rule to ensure that weapons are secure in hostile situations?
Physics for suckers!: The near-devastating aviation sequences are devoid of any sense of real-world realism due to the physics-free flight that occurs. If the plane nosedives and accelerates towards the earth faster than gravity’s force, Daryl and Agent Harris ought to have been thrown backward to the side of the aircraft, and not in the direction of the instrument panel once they hit the yoke. This is the reason why the plane is forced to a downward thrust towards the earth.
If they fell at the speed of gravity the whole world would have felt like suspended in the air for just a brief moment as it would have caused gravity-defying effects as the plane fell but none of that occurred. Instead, Agent Harris simply walks through the cabin just like normal, as if acceleration and gravity were not important, and then pulls the yoke up to correct their flight. Although, I’m no expert in flying. If you’ve had experience with aircraft, would this scenario work? Could the engine be in danger of being cut out? Could you tell me by leaving a comment?
What happens to Maverick when you need him?: In another scene it narrowly avoids colliding with the mountain’s side prior to Agent Harris pulling the yoke back, forcing the plane into a sharp and sudden climb. As they get to the top of the mountain, the plane slices horizontally through a snow bank. It’s true that I’m not an expert However, they had the same type of scene on the set of Top Gun: Maverick where they had to climb out from a valley at a “somewhat” similar angle.
Tom Cruise and his team showed how physics works and I couldn’t resist thinking of the scene as I watched the scene from the hiidude movies download movie Flight in Risk. The G-forces were awe-inspiring. It would have been nearly impossible for the airplane to suddenly turn horizontal at the summit of the hill. Additionally, if one prop plane is forced to go into an abrupt nosedive or a steep slope, that type of change in the airflow and gravity can cause issues with the fuel lines and oil pressure that can cause the engines to stop. However, there was not a spark.
The Old Fashioned Mole Twist: What is the reason that each police department, FBI, CIA, or US Marshall film lately relies on”the “mole” leaking information? It’s a very old story of the past. I felt like I was slamming down as I realized that it was actually the reason for all the tension -it was a mole! The method they used to identify the mole was so obvious and predictable, with Winston giving the crucial clue regarding the one annoyance payment that was a big deal in his role as the mobster’s accounting assistant, and it connects perfectly to the mole that was in the office of Marshall. It was a ridiculous subplot that had a lazy answer. The solution would’ve been more effective if the mobster locates Winston since he’s an accountant and not an operative.
The power of satellite phones: It’s true that the phone isn’t working, but Agent Harris’s cell phone connects to the satellite system like magic, and when she discovers that it’s a viable option it’s like a huge amount of tension disappears from the fight. I felt myself suffocating at that point. It was a bit easy, however, it might have been better had her battery gone out or if her phone was damaged during an incident, and left it up to agent Harris to figure out a lot of the details by herself.
How Things Could Be Better
Let’s take a look at the fictional writers’ space as there’s a long list of problems that could have been worked out by some creative thinking. There are a few ways it could have been constructed differently, and also provided a few new twists. In the first place, it could have been possible to keep viewers guessing through most of the initial third film concerning Daryl. In the second third of the film, they could have witnessed the violent tensions among Daryl as well as Agent Harris. In the third section of the film, the plane may be crashing, putting everyone into a brand new life-or-death situation.
This would have offered them another chance to engage in a different kind of confrontation with Daryl which also put their forces against each other. The solution could be the rescue helicopter or even something from Anchorage that helps them when they believe all hope is gone using clues Agent Harris was able to provide to Hasan when the plane went down. This would have provided variation to the setting added a dynamic to the conflicts and kept the audience involved.
One of the most obviously overlooked opportunities is the insufficient use of Alaskan wilderness. With a small budget, it’s easy to understand why the filmmakers relied heavily on AI as well as CGI to make the snowy landscapes visible through the plane’s window however the effects firm Lux Machina Consulting is known for its real-time rendering along with LED volumes stages (which are extremely impressive!). These could have been used to create a realistic representation of an Alaskan wilderness. If they’re going to make use of AI for moose and the motel then why not should they stop there? Why not try to go all-in and make the story better by shifting tension in a manner that is both plausible as logical, and yet surprises us with a few twists?
Suggestion
Here’s the $20 quiz. Is Flight Risk ticket worthy? In addition, do you think it’s worth the time, and money? If you’re looking for a predictable, brain-shuffling action film, yes, it’s a good choice. There are some moments that are both thrilling and hilarious, mostly due to the chemistry between Agent Harris and Winston. If you’re a huge fan of the cast, their talents could be enough to keep you entertained for a while.
But, if you’re searching for a different approach to the genre of action-thriller or an action-thriller that keeps you on your toes, Flight Risk is likely to begin falling at the halfway point or even earlier. The script’s predictable with questionable physics and the heavy use of AI visuals makes the experience rather dull. This is the kind of film that you’ll be able to forget after viewing because it doesn’t really make any bold moves in the story which is ironic considering the title. So, I’d say it’s safe to conclude that it’s perhaps suitable for a matinee and could be a decent movie to stream once it’s available for distribution online.
Final Thoughts
Flight Risk Have you seen it? Do you plan to? Let me know your thoughts on the movie. As I’m slightly out of my normal comfort zone in regard to the mechanics of flight, however, those concepts did seem odd to me. Did I understand it correctly? What do you think about the animal? I must know!
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