To pay homage to the star of Flight, the ever-so-dashing Denzel Washington, we’ve hidden 10 movies starring this acting legend in this review. How many can you find?
From the writer and director of Back to the Future, Forrest Gump and Castaway (to name a few), Robert Zemeckis puts together an all-star cast in this emotive drama about an airline pilot who saves a plane from crashing, however no training day could prepare him for the events that follow. Denzel Washington takes the lead as pilot Whip Whitaker who goes from the power and glory of an airline pilot to literally the bottom of the barrel. After landing the plane and saving the passengers and crew a toxicology report reveals he was seriously over the limit so it’s up to Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood to help keep him out of trouble and out of prison.
Sounds great right? Well, in most part it is. With the exhilarating and slightly scary plane mishap, you can’t be surprised that the entire movie isn’t an adrenaline-pumping rollercoaster – it does drag a little over Whip’s problems with drug and alcohol abuse, an ex-wife and the media. However, those 15 (ish) minutes of aeroplane drama are incredible, as Washington battles against the unstoppable forces battering the place like a hurricane. If you’ve ever experience turbulence on a plane you’ll understand the horrific ordeal the passengers and flight crew go through as the plane nose dives uncontrollably towards the ground. It’s enough to leave you with a heart condition, but they’re by far the best scenes of the movie so it’s definitely worth it.
This man of fire then embarks on a shaky romance with drug abuser Kelly Reilly, who puts in a grounded but inspirational performance. However, the on-going battle for self-control will end up giving you feelings of deja vu throughout the film. There is plenty of light comedy throughout the movie, mostly with thanks to the hilarious role of Washington’s friendly drug dealer played by John Goodman. Although he’s hardly an American gangster, Whitaker’s amiable inside man does help him out of one particular sticky situation that’s possibly the funniest part of the movie. This helps lift the film from what could potentially be a dreary story about self destruction to something a little more light hearted and all round entertaining.
What makes this film brilliant is the cast. Washington and Reilly are not actors you would possibly cast opposite each other in a tale of love yet there is something strangely appealing about their characters and the chemistry between them. There’s a little bit of everything in Flight; love, action, drama, comedy and even a little bit of suspense which leaves you guessing until the very end of the movie. Despite the dip in the middle, Flight is a brilliant film, it’s just more serious acting than senseless action.
[rating=4]
