Movie Review: Flight (2012)
Synopsis: While piloting a commercial airliner from Orlando to Atlanta, Captain Whip Whitaker experiences severe mechanical issues that force him to fly the plane inverted until he is able to crash land in a field. His heroic piloting results in only six of the 102 passengers and crew losing their lives. However, Whitaker has a problem. He had been flying with both alcohol and cocaine in his system, including vodka he was drinking in the cockpit. As a result, even though the crash was clearly caused by a mechanical issue, he faces possible prison time.
Who's in it? The movie stars Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Don Cheadle and Tamara Tunie.
Review: My wife and I saved Flight to our library a couple weeks ago but held off watching it to take a break from Denzel Washington. We finally gave it a try this weekend and it ended up being not what we expected but also still a good choice.
The plot of the movie is intriguing. Whitaker (Washington) performs some near-impossible maneuvers to land an inoperable plane in nearly one piece, saving 96 lives in the process. However, because six people were killed and a scapegoat is needed, his drug and alcohol use prior to the flight and mid-air put him in danger of both being blamed and going to prison.
The thing I thought was most interesting was the fact Whitaker wasn't exactly a victim in all of this. He was legally intoxicated and even drinking while in the captain's chair. Then, refusing to admit he had a problem, he compounded the situation by showing up to meetings drunk, binge drinking at home to the point he blacked out and pushing away everyone who was trying to help him.
This, in turn, led to some scenes that left me feeling conflicted. For example, his attorney (Cheadle) goes to great lengths to keep Whitaker's intoxication a secret, going as far as challenging the blood tests taken at the hospital and even helping sober Whitaker up the day of his hearing. It was one of those things that made me wonder if I should be rooting for him or considering him an enabler.
The end of the movie was also interesting as a result of all of this because it was unclear if Whitaker would get away with what he did once the official crash cause was determined to be poor plane maintenance or if the lead investigator (Melissa Leo) would continue her push to prove Whitaker was in no condition to fly. I was genuinely surprised at the ending as a result of that and I don't get to say that about many movies.
Final Opinion: This is an intriguing drama with a main character who does some heroic things but can't necessarily be considered a hero. My wife and I both enjoyed it and would recommend it.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other movies starring Denzel Washington:
Movie Review: The Equalizer 2 (2018)
Movie Review: The Equalizer (2014)
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