Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
Mel Gibson returns after a long break from directing. He gives us a pulpy action thriller with a small cast. A U.S. Marshal is tasked with capturing and transporting a fugitive to testify against the mob. They must fly across the Alaskan wilderness to get home. As their travel continues, the Marshal begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems. As their mission is compromised, she must pivot and pilot the plane while maintaining the safety of the fugitive. Can they make it back alive?
Positives:
If there were ever a movie to turn off logic and sensible plot direction, “Flight Risk” is a great example of that. The film is unapologetically over the top and silly. Audiences searching for a light, entertaining thriller could do worse than this. Mel Gibson usually tackles heavier subject matter so this is an interesting change of pace for him. I believe this is a warm up to get back in the swing of things before the release of “The Resurrection of the Christ”. Gibson’s directorial style isn’t as evident within the story but we still see some nifty sequences of violence combined with very tense exchanges. Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace make up the small cast. Each of them understands the assignment, leaning into the absurdity of the premise. Grace and Wahlberg give hammy performances while Dockery is tasked with handling the seriousness of the circumstance. The movie has an unusually entertaining way about it. It’s one of those experiences where audiences will understand what they’ll be in for within the first five minutes. There’s nothing extraordinary about Flight Risk” but it’s a decent way to spend ninety minutes.
Negatives:
For better or worse, “Flight Risk” is one of those films that will entertain audiences or leave them disgusted. Gibson is known for having edgy material in his films but it feels strangely conceived here. While I enjoyed some of the edgy humor and ridiculous premise, there were some spouts of dialogue that were pretty poor. The script doesn’t help the cast much so credit to them for embracing the B-movieness of the story. There are also some joke about prison rape Wahlberg’s character makes that are too repetitive. There’s also a part of the story where the Marshal is getting assistance to fly the plane once Wahlberg’s character is apprehended. The person assisting her over the phone uses some awkward jokes about going on a date and having attraction to one another (although they never see each other). I believe they were using this as a distraction method so that the Marshal would be calm in operating the plane. Even so, this felt inappropriate and strange during a crisis situation. Some won’t relate to the humor and silliness at all. I believe Gibson’s talents are greater than the product he’s put out, but credit to him for trying something different.
Conclusion:
“Flight Risk” is not going to appeal to everyone. Audiences will know within the first few minutes if they’ll enjoy the film. The schlocky tone and ridiculous premise will either be a B-movie delight or a pain to sit through. It has some fun moments and a group of hammy performances but doesn’t land on the script. It’s a disposable film that likely won’t be very memorable by the end of the year. But I’d be disingenuous if I said there’s no fun to be had. Check it out as a matinee or wait for streaming.