One of the best action movies of the year, and one led by a somewhat unexpected John Wick-esque action hero in Trap and Oppenheimer star Josh Hartnett as part of his long-awaited Hollywood comeback, is now taking flight on streaming. Offering a wonderfully simple set-up that allows for as much close-combat as possible, the action flick brings the laughs as well as the thrills, following a disgraced special agent who finds himself trapped on a place and facing down an onslaught of hired killers.
The John Wick-meets-Bullet Train action outing is titled Fight or Flight, and is now climbing the charts since recently landing on Paramount+. Directed by James Madigan (Runaways) and written by Brooks McLaren and D. J. Cotrona, Fight or Flight stars Josh Hartnett alongside Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, The Mandalorian), and Marko Zaror (John Wick: Chapter 4) and finds itself at #2 just behind Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun. You can check out the official synopsis for Fight or Flight below…
“Exiled American agent Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) is given one last chance to redeem himself — the assignment is to track down and identify a mysterious, international high-value asset known only as The Ghost on a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco. Complicating matters, the plane is filled with assassins from around the world who are assigned to kill them both. The pair must work together in a fight for their lives. At 37,000 feet, the stakes have never been higher.”
Both Critics & Audiences Heaped Praise on Josh Harnett’s “Demented” Action Hero Performance
Now regarded by many as one of the most entertaining action movies in years, Fight or Flight is now “Certified Fresh” with a solid 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. The action comedy is also one of the rare instances where both critics and audiences find themselves in agreement, with Fight or Flight scoring a similarly solid 74% on the Popcornmeter. Both groups heaped praise on Hartnett’s action hero, with critics applauding, “Josh Hartnett’s go-for-broke performance,” while audiences advised that you “remain seated through Josh Hartnett’s demented and shamelessly entertaining Fight or Flight.”
MovieWeb’s own Greg Archer found plenty to enjoy watching Josh Hartnett take down his enemies while 30,000 feet in the air, calling Fight or Flight “one of the best airplane thrillers” in years.
“Josh Hartnett (Trap) keeps the beleaguered-albeit-sexy Zaddy vibe alive in Fight or Flight, a new action thriller that blends the gritty edge of the John Wick movies with the relentless spunk of Jackie Chan flicks. The film, directed by James Madigan, is as joyfully bombastic as it is gory and bloody. (So bloody, in fact.) It’s one of the best airplane thrillers to arrive in recent years, right up there with Gerard Butler’s Plane.”
Josh Hartnett, who recently suffered minor injuries following a car crash in Canada, has several projects in the pipeline. The actor will star alongside Anne Hathaway in Amazon MGM Studios’ psychological thriller Verity, and will lead an untitled Netflix project alongside Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton and Station Eleven’s Mackenzie Davis.
- Release Date
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May 9, 2025
- Runtime
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102 minutes
- Director
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James Madigan
- Producers
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Basil Iwanyk, Tai Duncan, Erica Lee