Flight Risk: A Ridiculous Premise Makes for an Entertaining Ride (Blu-ray)

The Film:

Once again, we return to the fascinating sub-genre of single location films, where filmmakers attempt to tell a compelling tale almost entirely within the confines of one setting. It's certainly no easy task, for it has them relying on the writing & performances even more than they normally would in the hopes that they'll be strong enough to keep the audience engaged as the story unfolds in one primary space. That's what screenwriter Jared Rosenberg and director Mel Gibson hope to accomplish with their thriller "Flight Risk," where almost the entire film takes place aboard a small plane. It's an intriguing notion to attempt something like this, and it definitely presents an interesting challenge to all involved, but as mentioned, it's all going to come down to the aforementioned vital elements to see how successful they are at meeting said challenge.

The film opens with U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) arresting Winston (Topher Grace), an accountant for the Moretti crime family who has been hiding out in Alaska, so he can testify against his former boss. Madolyn charters a small plane to Anchorage and soon they take off with their pilot Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg). However, a restrained Winston quickly notices that "Daryl" is not who he claims to be after he discovers the actual Daryl's license under a seat. He tries to warn Madolyn, but she soon discovers it on her own, igniting a tense situation that has her and her witness stuck in a confined space with a would-be assassin.

"Flight Risk" is one of those films where it's apparent very early on that it would be a bad idea to take it too seriously, not only because that's not the way in which it was meant to be seen, but also because doing so almost guarantees that the viewer will have a miserable time. The silly premise, the corny dialogue, and the odd progression of events would stick out like a sore thumb and be nothing but a source of ridicule for anyone not willing to just go along with what an absolutely ridiculous movie like this has to offer, which certainly goes a long way towards explaining the overwhelmingly harsh reaction that has been spewed at it ever since its release.

Now don't misunderstand, it's hardly what one would call a great movie, but it would also be fair to say that it's not really aiming to be one either. It is indeed an absurd situation that has questionable things happening throughout, all of which makes it a remarkably silly experience that could easily be seen as campy... but that would appear to have been the entire point. One doesn't make a film like this with expectations that the audience is going to treat it as a serious drama. They make it expecting them to see it as something wild, over-the-top, and cheesy, but also something that offers a fair amount of entertainment while doing so.

Again, no one's going to mistake this for a master class in tension, action, or single-location storytelling, but nor should it be, because, as mentioned, that's most definitely not the spirit in which it was made. It's a brief, amusing, out-there scenario that may have you rolling your eyes every now and again, but if you're willing to go along with it, you just might find that you've had a little fun over the course of these quick 90 minutes... or you can be one of those people that nitpick its intentionally-ludicrous elements and come away having completely missed the point. In this instance, it's best to sit back, have a laugh, maybe a thrill or two, and just enjoy the bumpy ride.

Video/Audio:

"Flight Risk" comes to Blu-ray in a 2.39:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality. The picture is perfectly sharp & clear throughout the film's brief 90-minute duration, highlighting its extensive use of visual effects. Likewise, the Dolby Atmos audio track is fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Lionsgate has done a marvelous job in both areas for the film's physical home release.

Special Features:

Risk Management: Making Flight Risk (8 Minutes): A decent featurette that goes behind the scenes of the film, featuring interviews with the cast & crew.

Conclusion:

"Flight Risk" may have a wild, over-the-top premise with a rather silly storyline, but if you're willing to go along with it in the spirit in which it was meant to be seen, you just might find that these quick 90 minutes offer a fair amount of amusement, entertainment, and even a thrill or two as it proceeds on its intentionally-campy ride.

Score: 3.5/5

Available on Blu-ray starting today.

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