Flight Reviews

Whip Whitaker is a highly skilled veteran airline pilot. After he miraculously crash lands a plane following a mid-air catastrophe, he is hailed as a hero, thanks in large part to the fact that he saved he lives of nearly every person on board. However, an investigation into the the incident reveals some troubling issues, namely whether or not Whip's personal demons could have been the cause for the catastrophe in the first place. The film might be an investigative thriller, but, above all, it is an intense character study, primarily focused on addiction.

This marked director Robert Zemeckis's first live action film in 12 years, and his first R-rated feature in 32. It's a fine drama, but, in all honesty, it's overrated. The set-up is fine, and it's all very engaging, but it is also quite heavy handed, unsubtle, and perhaps more melodramatic than intended. A lot of this might have to do with the needle drops. The songs are good, but rather on the nose. Also, while the film does depict the grips of addiction nicely, it didn't feel quite as impactful as it did with other films, namely Leaving Las Vegas.

I'm ragging on this, but at the same time, I did like it. The crash sequence is very well done, and extremely harrowing and riveting. Denzel is given a great role that many actors vie for, if only because it's a challenging one, but also Oscar bait. He doSupporting cast members like Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle are fine, but I think they're a tad underused, especially in Cheadle's case. He could have been given something a lot meatier. Kelly Reilly is also fine, but I don't really know if her character was all that necessary, especially given the film's 138 minute run time. Probably the highlight of things would be John Goodman as Harling Mays- Whip's close friend and dealer. He's a scenery chewing delight, and it's another great colorful character for Goodman to add to a long list of memorable people he's played.

The score by Alan Silvestri is typically decent, the film is well shot and edited, and, like I said, the sequence involving the catastrophe and crash is quite solid. All in all, it's a good film, but one that was really over-hyped. I liked it, but feel it could have soared higher than it did.

The advertising for Flight has highlighted the sexier elements, the star wattage of Denzel Washington and director Robert Zemeckis, and the thrills of the air disaster. What you get is a different matter. The first thirty minutes prepares you for one movie, and then Flight takes off in a different direction, a path that fails to capitalize on the potential of the subject matter.

Whip Whitaker (Washington) is one hell of a pilot. He miraculously lands a downed airplane, limiting the loss of life to six. He is also a hell of a drunk. Whip also happened to be drunk and high on cocaine at the time of the crash. As the airline investigation searches for the causes that lead to the crash, Whip and his team, longtime friend and union ally (Bruce Greenwood) and high-priced ethically sketchy defense lawyer (Don Cheadle) try and protect their own. The media is agog in hero worship with Whip, but they don't know about what awaits in his blood test drawn at the scene of the crash. As Whip prepares for possible criminal charges, he meets a recovering addict Nicole (Kelly Reilly) and the two form a connection. He hides out at his father's old estate, invites her along, and they struggle to stay clean and fly right. But temptation is too powerful a beast for Whip, and he will continue to make poor decisions.

It's really a modern-age version of The Lost Weekend of The Days of Wine and Roses. It is an alcoholism story. We're all familiar with them at this point in the movies. A part of me thinks addiction stories are some of the easiest ones to write; you take a flawed character, introduce the addiction, have them determined to get sober, and then provide temptation after temptation. And that's kind of what Flight feels like. The compelling elements of the movie, notably the legal ramifications of the crash and the political maneuvering, get too often sidelined by a repetitious mélange of Whip getting drunk or thinking about getting drunk or trying not to get drunk. There are many ups and downs, but the cycle of addiction and abuse starts to grow weary, especially when the movie offers more interesting and unique story avenues worth exploring. The airplane sequence is a taut, horrifying, intense sequence. The legal wrangling resulting from it seems like the stuff of good drama. The airline is trying to limit its monetary damage, the lawyers are trying to cover for their clients including having the dead crew stripped from the fatality numbers, and all the while the investigation is getting closer to uncovering Whip's secret. That's the movie I wanted to see with Flight. The majority of what I got was a by-the-books addiction parable with some good actors. The movie seems to be going in too many different directions.

Zemeckis' return to live-action is welcomed and long overdue, and it's great seeing him direct real people in real environments again, even if the finished film is flawed. His interests seem more with the special effects-laden crash, a harrowing sequence for the ages. When it gets to the addict stuff, it seems like Zemeckis goes on autopilot himself, bowing to the strength of his charismatic star sucking everything into his orbit. The movie becomes an acting showcase for Washington's abilities at the expense of a completely coherent plot or tone. At times the film seems cavalierly comic, particularly with John Goodman's character that gets treated like an endearing figure. He's Whip's chief source of drugs and his chief enabler and his casual nature with hardcore drugs, and the film's noncommittal stance, gives the movie a strange, unsettling quality. Then there's the religious aspect that feels like it flew in from a whole other screenplay (I can't tell whether the film is dismissive of religion or just flippant). Plus Zemeckis just can't help himself when it comes to on-the-nose literal music selections (after Whip gets high due to his compatriots, the elevator plays the Muzak version of the Beatles' "Some Help from My Friends."). It's at this point I'm so happy for Zemeckis to be back making live-action movies, I'm probably giving Flight an even bigger pass than it likely deserves.

I'm not sure the Nicole character provides anything substantial to this movie, let alone the movie treating her as a co-lead for the first thirty minutes. In between our moments of watching Whip on the plane, we have scenes of Nicole going about her sad day. I'm wondering how in the world these storylines are going to connect and why we have to leave the drama of the plane for the mundane life of an addict eeking out a desperate life. These should not be parallel storylines; the audience interest is not divided here. Nobody is complaining about spending too much time with Whip and the plane crash. No one is saying, "I wish I could see that woman's sad life some more." Why did we even need to see Nicole before she meets Whip in the hospital? Were all of those early scenes just too essential to lose in a movie over two hours? Thematically, I can understand that Nicole presents a romantic possibility but also a reward for Whip if he stays clean and sober. Seeing him screw up this pseudo-relationship is another example to convey the self-destructive nature of Whip. I get that. But if this woman were really integral to the plot, she wouldn't vanish for the entire final act.

It's easy to see why actors are always attracted to addict roles. They're usually showy parts that allow for many opportunities to bottom out. Rest assured, Washington (Safe House) is uniformly excellent, portraying a deeply flawed individual prone to grandiose self-delusion and justification for his behavior. We're so used to seeing Washington play the calm, cool, collected men of dignity, men who seem preternaturally gifted at leading others. With Flight, he becomes far more vulnerable, a self-destructive character that pushes others away and betrays the trust and faith of others. He's not fighting some larger external force; he's battling his internal demons that continually lead him astray. He can be petty, mean, weak, delusional, and downright unlikable at turns. It's a strong performance that anchors the film. The other actors all provide admirable backup duties, from Cheadle to Greenwood to a brief appearance from Melissa Leo (The Fighter) as an airline investigator. I want to single out James Badge Dale (HBO's The Pacific) for the impression he makes with a part that amounts to one single scene in the movie. He plays a gaunt cancer patient sneaking away for a stairwell smoke ("Wouldn't want to give my cancer cancer"), joined by Whip and Nicole. He's so good with the gallows humor and surprisingly poignancy that I wanted the camera to just start following him.

I want to point out one quirk during my movie going experience with Flight. I was easily the youngest person in my theater by 20 years minimum. I don't enjoy seeing movies with a predominantly elderly crowd because they do not follow the agreed-upon rules of movie decorum. They often engage in conversations or provide a running commentary. A man two rows behind me had his watch beep for a solid minute to inform him, and the theater, it was now seven o'clock. Either he didn't hear it beeping (which defeats the purpose) or couldn't figure out this new-fangled 1980s watch technology to turn it off (which also defeats the purpose). Anyway, what I really enjoyed then was the audible reactions when Flight's beginning, its very opening images, was a pair of naked breasts. The first scene features Whip and flight attendant Katerina (My Name is Earl's Nadine Velaquez) getting dressed after a wild night of booze, cocaine, and sex. Whip talks to his ex-wife on the phone, and in one ongoing camera shot, we watch Velaquez walk around completely naked. Then she leaves off screen... and comes back still completely naked. Now I mention this not to reconfirm my red-blooded heterosexuality but because it delighted me to no end to listen to the grumbling of the older audience members. And yeah, the nudity is fairly gratuitous but I'm happy Zemeckis was able to rankle my elder audience before the second second of film.

Flight is also unique in the sense that it may be the only film I know of to posit that drugs and alcohol could save lives. Wwhip is drunk and high while flying, but he saves the day because of his impairment. Ordinarily in the event of a crash or a dive he would revert to his training; every pilot in a flight simulator recreating the events crashed and killed all passengers. Instead, Wwhip goes by instinct, thinking outside the box, and saving the day. And what enables him to do this? Booze, sweet life-saving booze! He's so calm and relaxed in the moment that he's able to think straight and discover unorthodox solutions in limited time. Flight never makes this fact explicit but I think it would have made a more interesting film if this debate had been given more airtime. Yeah Whip was drunk, but not every drunk is impaired the same. I'm not excusing driving while intoxicated, but the movie presents a strange situation, fictional yes, where drugs and alcohol saved lives. Then in the end, and our lead is in trouble, what does it look like will save the day? Cocaine! Seriously, the white knight in the final act is the white powder.

I think audience might be in for a rude awakening while they sit through Flight, advertised as an airline thriller. It's still a competent, occasionally compelling movie with strong acting from Washington and others, but are audiences really interested in another alcoholism drama even if it has Big Stars? The most frustrating part of Flight is that it has so much potential, so many intriguing storylines or angles to choose from, and it settles on the most mainstream one, the familiar arc of an alcoholic coming to terms with their addiction. How is that more dramatic than an airline crash or the later investigation and legal witch-hunt to find a culprit to blame? The movie prefers to focus on the minor rather than the major, following the familiar formula to the very end when our lead has to make a grave moral decision. It's a character study but the character and his path are the familiar. All the stuff that makes Flight different (the airline disaster, the investigation, the politics of blame) is the stuff that gets relegated so we can watch Whip screw up time and again. There's an interesting study on hero worship buried somewhere in all this. I enjoyed Flight more in the moment but it has been crumbling under further reflection and analysis. I'm dearly glad Zemeckis has stepped back to the land of the living but Flight has too much baggage to go anywhere new and exciting.

Nate's Grade: B-

I don't want to say that this is a must-see, but I do want to suggest that you might want to see it if you thought, say from the trailers, that this is some kind of updated Airport-type action movie.

The "flight" that has to do with action is only a very small part of the movie. The real "flight" has to do with Washington's flight from reality via drugs and alcohol, and what his addiction may or may not have to do with the plane accident.

A good job by Washington in a fairly simplistically reduced portrayal of an addict -- compared, say, to Jack Lemon in The Days of Wine and Roses, or Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend.

Wow. If you thought the plane in the film needed an emergency landing, this film could have used a God machine to pull it out of the nose dive that it took in the second half.

Much like the ill-fated flight in the beginning of the film, Flight began soaring with much success through some heavy terrain. It was tight, riveting, and well-acted. The crash scene was expertly crafted & Denzel was (as always) spectacular.

Yet, it seemed as though Bob Zemeckis must have had Days of Wine and Roses on his mind as the film kind of drifts and wanders into spiritual & moralizing terrain.

I appreciate his attempt to take a good honest look at addiction, but the drastic zoom-ins when Denzel takes a bump made it feel like he was taking the "shock you into sobriety" approach that I have never really appreciated.

Don't get me wrong, there is a very good movie in here somewhere. But screenwriter John Gatins attempted a character study, an invasive look at addiction, spirituality, love, & forgiveness, and you cannot help but FEEL every single message as it forced into your eyes and ears. And as much as I love watching Denzel lick his lips for a couple of hours, it never pulled out of the dip that it took in the second half.

The glorious presentation of Robert Zemeckis and always groundbreaking performance of Denzel Washington is a tag-team duo that makes this film captivating and moving. Flight is a gripping tragic picture that evokes sorrow and overall drama from start to finish. 4/5

To put it simply, "Flight" is good. It's not great. Denzel absolutely nails his role as the drunk Whip Whitaker, but the film runs long with repetitive scenes of Whip drinking his life away. The plot hits the God-storyline a bit hard, but overall it's a decent watch. Grade: B

A pilot crash lands a commercial plane that has mechanically failed. There are some fatalities. He survives the crash. He should be a hero but his life starts to unravel. Denzel's character is so compelling that somehow you wish the ending was different.

preachy and over ambitious, John Goodman may have saved the very minor scenes he was in with pure humour but other than that the movies action sequence last the ten minutes at the very beginning then turns into a snail pace!

Anchored by a fantastic and soulful leading performance, Robert Zemeckis' return to live-action film is an exhilarating and gripping character study. Full review later.

It's been a long wait (12 years to be exact) for director Robert Zemeckis to get back to making a live action film. His last was "Cast Away" in 2000 before he delved into computer generated animation with "The Polar Express", "Beowolf" and "A Christmas Carol". Despite his attempts to perfect the medium of animation those three film's weren't entirely successful. However, having him back on more 'adult' duties is a reminder of how good he can actually be.
During what may, or may not, be a technical fault with an airline passenger plane, pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is forced into emergency procedures in order to land safely. The media hail him as a hero but there are troubling circumstances that lie underneath: Whip is an alcoholic and was intoxicated beforehand.
Within seconds of this film starting we are given a complete introduction to our protagonist Captain Whip Whitaker; there's a naked woman in his bedroom and he proceeds to do a massive line of cocaine to straighten himself out before he flies a plane at 9am that same morning. Straight away, you know that this is a man that takes too many chances but it's his cocksure arrogance and determination that has you captivated and convinced in him. We then move onto the flight itself where he helps himself to a few vodka miniatures before taking to the skies. With this strong introduction to Whitaker's persona, what follows is an even stronger aircraft scene. It's an intense and nail-biting set piece that will no doubt have you buckling up the next time you board an aeroplane.
After such a robust and persuasive opening you'd think that the rest of the film would suffer in comparison but Zemeckis deserves the utmost credit for slowing things down yet still managing to maintain interest. It progresses into a thoroughly engrossing character study that isn't afraid to shed some light on the nature of addiction and the unravelling of a person in denial. Zemeckis is in no rush to tell his story which helps in establishing the feeling that this is a really solid piece of work. He also delicately handles the ethical conundrum of whether the sacrifice of a few lives is worth the saving of many. The film skilfully flitters back and forth between one 'heroic' action and the iniquity and irresponsibility of another; toying with the audience's own moral judgement. Whitaker is a character that you'll continually question but also one that can be identified with, and the ability of Zemeckis' direction, John Gatins' writing and a towering central performance from Denzel Washington make it all entirely believable. Washington has received a lot of critical praise from many corners here, and rightfully so. He absolutely commands the screen and without his presence or ability, this character could have crumbled in a lesser actors hands. There is strong competition amongst the Oscar nominated actors of 2012 but Washington is thoroughly deserving of his inclusion. The rest of the cast have little to do in comparison but still manage to add to the proceedings; Kelly Reilly's addicted junkie adds further realism and although her relationship with Whitaker is rushed, it's also somewhat believable. The corporate and legal side of things are dealt with admirably, by Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle and John Goodman's character brings a welcome addition of comic relief. All-be-it, he seems to have wandered in from another movie.
As the denouement approaches, the film, admittedly, falls into conventional territory with a pending legal case and the unravelling of Whitaker's affliction and personal demons brought to the forefront.This is unavoidable with the nature of the story but it's still handled with tact and remains, nothing less, than absorbing and thoroughly rewarding.
It may succumb to storytelling conventions and some subplots don't entirely fit but, on the whole, this is filmmaking of the highest order. After this, I can only hope that Zemeckis doesn't fall back into relative (animated) obscurity.

While the trailer for director Robert Zemeckis return to live action films suggested an emphasis on the investigation after a tragic plane crash, the story is actually a cautionary tale about a man with a serious drinking problem. Even though he saved the majority of the passengers on a flight that went down, the noose is tightening around pilot Whitaker's neck as he fails to recognize his alcoholism. The film starts with a bang, a terrifying and breath takingly filmed plane crash. The rest of the film concentrates on Whitaker's slow road to redemption, with several cringe-worthy scenes of him making the wrong decisions over and over again. Denzel Washington delivers another outstanding performance and, together with an excellent cast, carries the film through a couple of slow passages that could have needed some editing. But in the end, the movie always takes the right turns at the very last second and ends up being much more satisfying than you may have expected it to be half way through.

Denzel Washington offers a strong performance in this unsurprising character study that goes downhill in clichés after a thrilling beginning. Besides, it suffers from being overlong and uneven in tone, with an artificial and unconvincing redemptive ending.

'Flight'. Denzel Washington plays a man barely holding it together to tragic perfection. A solid screenplay and welcome return by Zemeckis.

Robert Zemeckis' return to live action after a handful of animated films is a compelling tale of addiction, featuring another bravura performance from Denzel Washington who continues to prove he is one of the best in the business. He is both detestable and likable at the same time, constantly making you question whether or not you should be rooting for the character in the first place. Without him, the movie would not be the same nor as good. Although most will claim the first 30 minutes are the most engaging moments because Zemeckis grabs your attention from the get go with a spectacular action sequence, everything after that is the reason this is nominated for multiple deserved Oscars. This is a dark and entirely depressing experience and might be too close to real life for some people to take. I would completely understand if some people skip it for that reason, but if you are one of the people like me who doesn't just want escapism in your movies and want serious subject matter, then Flight is not to be missed.

Whip: Hey, don't tell me how to lie about my drinking, okay? I know how to lie about my drinking. I've been lying about my drinking my whole life. 

I've been wanting to see Flight for a long time now. Robert Zemeckis directing a character study about a pilot named Whip, played by Denzel Washington, who has a drinking problem and crash lands a plane. It sounded like more of a dream than a movie. This sounded to me like movie heaven. The film doesn't play out like heaven, but for that reason it deserves its praises even more. This is a phenomenal film, one made with intelligence, honesty, and precision. 

Whip is an airlines pilot. It's the job he was born to do; his grandfather and father were both pilots. He's divorced and doesn't talk to his ex or his fifteen year old son often. He's also a struggling alcoholic and to a certain extent, a drug addict. He gets behind the control of a plane the night after some heavy drinking and ends up having to crash land the plane. He's heralded as a hero, but his toxicology report will be investigated. The film is essentially a great character study, and Whip is a good character to be studied. He's hard to understand, so hard, he doesn't even really know who he is.

Robert Zemeckis has always been a favorite of mine, and Flight may be his best movie technically. It isn't my favorite, but I believe it could be his best. Denzel Washington is also a favorite of mine, and calling this his best performance ever may not be the smartest thing, but it is definitely among his finest work. He plays the alcoholic pilot to perfection and is extremely powerful in doing so.

Flight is a movie I implore people to see. It's powerful beyond the word. There's also an importance to it, a lesson, and something that every single person will be able to take with them after watching. Many will be bored by the last 2 hours and say it's a boring movie with a cool plane crash scene. To those people, I can only say, whatever. Don't listen to them though, go out and watch this one for yourself. 

Flight tells a touching and poigant character study that is helmed by a great performance from Denzel Washington, thoughtful direction, and an iconic plane scene.

A knockout that soars. An absolutely riveting and unforgettable masterpiece. Director, Robert Zemeckis crafts one of his most nuanced and extremely capable films ever, its certainly one his finest films as a director. A bold, strong and very powerful movie that has a deep and emotional story along with incredible character development. Especially on Washington's character, it shows his struggle to contain his addiction and what is left of his damaged soul. Denzel Washington gives of of his best performances ever, it surely one for the books and that will be talked about for years. A commanding and brilliant performance. Kelly Reilly is excellent. John Goodman is terrific. Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle are fantastic. A nail-biting and powerful thriller that will keep you in the edge of your seat. It delivers big with suspense, a great soundtrack and deeply compelling human drama. An amazing movie. A spectacular and tremendously entertaining film.

"Flight" is a difficult movie to categorize. Few movies feature a character so hell-bent on self-destruction such as this ("The Bad Lieutenant" comes to mind), that we're forced to root for their inevitable downfall in hopes it may spur some chance at redemption. Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot forced to make a tough landing after a night of partying with one of the flight attendants. Once onboard the plane, he attends to his hangover with a couple of mini bottles of vodka in his big cup of orange juice. Does it straighten him out? After a hair-raising take off through a scary storm, the crew is confronted with a malfunctioning pitch control that sends the plane into a fatal nosedive. It's only through Whip's quick thinking and daring skills as a pilot that the plane and (most) of it's passengers are saved. After being released from the hospital, he contemplates drying out, even going so far as to throw away all his booze, but news of an investigation into the crash, and the results of his blood alcohol test soon send him racing back to the bottle. In the midst of enablers, even a blossoming relationship with a fellow addict (Kelly Reilly) can't pull him out of the tailspin he finds himself in.

Flight is one of the strongest performances Denzel Washington has ever delivered and will probably earn him an oscar nomination. His portrayal of Whip is subtle, one of slowly growing desperation as he struggles to maintain the lie he lives. The character is such a successful liar, he suffers no ill effects in his professional life from this deceit he lives, and yet he suffers internally. It's a great weight to keep yourself afloat under, this crushing lifestyle of drugs and alchohol and ever-worsening morale. This movie reminded me of a song by Bob Dylan, "Ballad in Plain D", with the lyric "My friends in the prison, they ask unto me, how good how good does it feel to be free, and I answer them most mysteriously, are birds free from the chains of the skyway?" ie., the most confining prisons are the ones we construct within our own minds.

Robert Zemeckis returns to live action feature films with Flight, a well executed drama film about a pilot who struggles with addiction and who is involved in a plane crash, as he crash lands the plane successfully and saves everyone aboard. However questions about the event surface and everything is not as it seems. Denzel Washington gives a great performance as pilot Whip Whitaker, the pilot who saves the passengers lives. This is a well thought out drama film that was a much needed effort from director Zemeckis, who in my opinion is better at making lice action features than motion capture films. With a great cast at hand, Zemeckis delivers one of his strongest efforts in years. The film has a well constructed plot and the cast are wonderful in their roles. Washington especially is great here, and he has phenomenal screen presence. This is a stellar film that is among the finest of Denzel Washington's finest performances. Flight is a tense, riveting drama that grabs your attention from the first frame onwards. Zemeckis is back in full force and this is a must see film that has a well constructed story that is sure to appeal to film goers everywhere. The crash sequence is well done, and is very suspenseful. Flight is an accomplished film in terms of acting, directing and sheer entertainment value. Robert Zemeckis has made a great film here, and if you love his work, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. This is among the strongest films I've seen in quite some time, and it is one of the best Dramas in recent memory. I very much enjoyed this film, and I feel it is among Denzel Washington's very best films. Washington definitely gives an Oscar Worthy performance, of which he has been nominated at the 85th Academy Awards. Robert Zemeckis delivers a strong picture that is a much needed return to live action cinema. With that being said, I can't wait to see what Zemeckis will direct next.