“Y’all need a pilot?” asks Mark Wahlberg, playing a hitman disguised as a Texan pilot. This is the beginning of the goings-on in Mel Gibson’s (The Passion of the Christ 2004, Hacksaw Ridge 2016) newest directorial, Flight Risk, released January 24, 2025, through Lionsgate.
Starring with Wahlberg is Michelle Dockery (Downtown Abbey series, Boy Kills World 2023) as Deputy U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris, Topher Grace (That ’70s Show series, Spider-Man 3 2007) as Winston, Leah Remini’s voice only (The King of Queens series, Kevin Can Wait series) as Caroline Van Sant, Madolyn’s superior officer, Paul Ben-Victor’s voice (Body Parts 1991, Entourage series) as Director Coleridge, Maaz Ali’s voice (American Horror Story series, Anxious. 2024) as Hasan, and Monib Abhat (I Feel Pretty 2018, Love Hard 2021) appears on-screen as Hasan.
A pilot transports an Air Marshal who is accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar, and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.
What sells Flight Risk is not what you see but what you hear. People are sloppy when they speak. We get so wrapped up in what we’re going to respond with, not to listen. If we wait and let people talk, we learn much about people…more than they want us to know. It starts after the above quote. This is the genius of Jared Rosenberg’s, in his feature writing debut, script.
Aside from the cold opening and the finale, the lone set is the plane Harris with Winston and the pilot. All we see is the action in the cockpits. Otherwise, we must pay attention to what is said to hear the truths, half-truths, and screw-ups. This gives a serious sense of claustrophobia.
However, the above may be why the movie has horrible critic reviews and middling audience reviews. That said, let us break down the gripes. There is no problem with cold openings if we catch up in the movie’s body. It adds to the intrigue. On the other hand, the flying, especially when stuff hits the fan, is far-fetched; whenever there is shooting on a plane in any movie…just no! Hello, cabin pressure, combustibles! Again, the end goes back to listening. Harris says something specific on the plane.
Some may ask, “Is Flight Risk predictable?” Yes, it can be, but just when we thought we had things figured out in other ‘predictable’ movies, the creatives came from leftfield. That is the power of movies.
Flight Risk is not the most groundbreaking, action-packed flick, and some suspension of belief is required. However, if you are willing to listen to the details, you can have a fun hour and a half. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Flight Risk 4 out of 5 stars.
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