PLANE
(director: Jean Francois-Richet; screenwriters: J.P. Davis/Charles Cumming; cinematographer: Brendan Galvin; editor: David Rosenbloom; music: Marco Beltrami/Marcus Trumpp; cast: Gerard Butler (Brodie Torrance), Mike Colter (Louis Gaspare), Tony Goldwyn (Scarsdale), Evan Dane Taylor (Datu Junmar), Daniella Pinneda (Bonnie Lane), Lilly Krug (Brie Taylor), Yosan An (Dele), Paul Ben-Victor (Terry Hampton); Runtime: 107; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Jason Constantine, Eda Kowan, Ara Keshishian, Marc Butan, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian; Lionsgate; 2023-UK/USA-in English, Tagalog)
“It’s a dumb but entertaining film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
French filmmaker Jean Francois-Richet (“The Emperor of Paris”/”Blood Father”) directs an old school action pic from the 1990s. It’s co-written by J.P. Davis and Charles Cumming.
Brodie Torrance (Geraird Butler) is an airline pilot who has one last flight to run before he can spend New Year’s Eve with his daughter, Carrie (Heather Seiffert). With a storm over the Philippines, Brodie is advised by the airline to fly his plane over the storm instead of around it. By following those instructions, his plane is hit by lightning and too damaged to fly.
Brodie and co-pilot Dele (Yoson Au) use their pilot skill to make a forced emergency landing on a deserted road in the jungle. The passengers include suspected murderer Louis (Mike Colter). They are on their own to defend themselves from an army of Philippine separatists, who take the passengers hostage.
The airline, Trailblazer Air, is trying to cover-up that they have a missing plane, and call in troubleshooter Scarsdale (Tony Goldwyn) to deal with the press and to hire a band of mercenaries to extract the crew and passengers.
It’s a dumb but entertaining film.
REVIEWED ON 2/14/2023 GRADE: C+