Ever since Flight Danger, the Mark Wahlberg-led thriller directed by Mel Gibson, got here out in theaters early within the 2025 film schedule, it’s been getting some fairly horrible critiques. However let me inform you one thing… I totally loved watching this suspenseful throwback thriller with a theater of different moviegoers throughout its surprisingly profitable opening weekend.
Does the film have issues? Yeah, however I didn’t go in anticipating one thing on the identical stage as Conclave or different nice latest thrillers. Regardless of these points and within the face of these unfavourable critiques, Flight Danger was sort of nice in its personal approach. I don’t anticipate everybody to agree with me (I do know I’m within the minority right here), however at the least hear me out…
Flight Danger Is not The Greatest Film Ever Made, However It is Truly Extra Enjoyable Than I Anticipated
Let me begin off by stating the plain: Flight Danger isn’t the most effective film ever made. Hell, it’s not even my favourite film from the primary month of 2025 (that might be Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, in case you had been questioning). That stated, this film was numerous enjoyable and a complete lot extra enjoyable than its first trailer would lead you to consider. Properly, possibly the entire bald Mark Wahlberg bit from the teaser was nice.
It’s true that Flight Danger has a lackluster 26 % on Rotten Tomatoes on the time of this writing, nevertheless it additionally has a 63 % Viewers Rating, which is actually a extra correct approach of gauging a film like this. And after wanting over a number of of the person feedback, I’m not the one one who thought this film was really enjoyable. It by no means takes itself all too significantly, has some nice motion sequences, and Wahlberg’s character is a hoot even when he’s not utilizing that campy Southern accent.
Flight Danger Feels Like One thing Proper Out Of The ’90s, And I am All About It
Should you had been to inform me that Flight Danger is a few unproduced script from the Nineteen Nineties that Mel Gibson has been sitting on all these years, I might consider you. Regardless of being launched in early 2025, this high-stakes thriller appears like one thing that might go hand-in-hand with the most effective ‘90s motion films. I imply, that decade gave us all-time nice airplane films like Air Power One, Passenger 57, and Con Air, and this Mark Wahlberg flick feels proper at dwelling with these.
The path, the performing, the writing, and even among the visible results really feel like throwbacks to a earlier period when less complicated and shorter motion thrillers dominated the field workplace. And as somebody who grew up watching all three of these ‘90s movies on HBO, TNT, and AMC, seeing one thing that pays homage to these (even when it wasn’t the plan), took me again and allowed me to look past its shortcomings.
I Love A Good ‘Chamber Piece’ Setup, And Flight Danger Gave Me That
I’ve at all times been a fan of “Chamber Piece” films like 12 Offended Males, Gravity, and Panic Room, and Flight Danger is one other good instance of the premise. Although there are some scenes early within the film not set within the small, cramped airplane, the overwhelming majority of the thriller’s 90-minute runtime is confined to that rusty propeller airplane flying excessive above a mountain vary in Alaska. And I actually assume it makes for a greater film.
With the motion and drama in a single location all through the film, I used to be at all times targeted on what was occurring in entrance of me and never being taken to the U.S. Marshals and FBI as they tried to determine every part out. I used to be with the three predominant characters from the time they received into the airplane and stayed within the fuselage till that little plane got here in scorching for a wild touchdown within the remaining minutes.
Although His Large Reveal Was Given Away In The Trailer, Mark Wahlberg’s Character Is One thing Wild
After I first noticed the Flight Danger trailer forward of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis final fall, I couldn’t consider it gave away the massive reveal about Mark Wahlberg’s pilot not being who he stated he was. And whereas I used to be initially bummed about this, it ended up having little to no impression on how a lot I liked the character. Let me inform you… Wahlberg’s first correct villain since Worry was one thing wild. Like, give-me-another-movie-just-about-this-guy sort of wild.
The pretend accent, the over-the-top male sample baldness, the facial expressions, the gum-chewing, the sinister look in his eyes, the best way he asks “Y’all want a pilot,” and the entire “caged animal” demeanor within the remaining act, all make this one in all Wahlberg’s most unhinged and wildest performances in fairly a while. Truthfully, I would like extra of it.
With out Going Into Specifics, There Are So Many Twists And Turns (Some Predictable, Others Not So A lot)
The entire “Mark Wahlberg is the villain” reveal was given away within the trailer, however this doesn’t imply Flight Danger doesn’t have extra twists and turns up its sleeves. Like all these thrillers from yesteryear, Mel Gibson’s first directorial effort since Hacksaw Ridge throws so much on the viewers within the remaining 20-Half-hour of flight time. Identical to the most effective of them, these reveals are typically predictable whereas others aren’t a lot. With out giving an excessive amount of away, there are occasions when it’s finest to belief your intestine and others the place the most effective answer is the best answer.
Nonetheless, there have been a few characters (once more, I’m not going to spoil something) who I dreaded would find yourself being one of many dangerous guys however was pleasantly shocked for that to not be the case. This was actually extraordinarily refreshing and made me benefit from the film just a little bit extra.
Can We Get Extra 90-Minute Thrillers Like This?
Positive, I like lengthy films prefer it’s no one’s enterprise (I just lately watched The Brutalist in theaters twice), nevertheless it was a pleasant change of tempo watching a 90-minute thriller like Flight Danger. Mainly, films as a complete are getting approach too lengthy nowadays and a decent throwback thriller a couple of U.S. Marshal escorting a federal witness so he can testify in opposition to the mob doesn’t require all that a lot time. The truth is, the brief runtime enhanced the entire expertise.
The film by no means felt slowed down by pointless characters, subplots, or different superfluous particulars. It was stripped down, it was economical with its time, and it had just about all of the fats trimmed down. I might love for this to change into the norm, at the least in the case of motion thrillers like this.
The ethical of the story is that although films like Flight Danger get dismal critiques, you need to nonetheless be capable of get pleasure from what you need.